CM writes third letter to PM on loadshedding problem in Karachi

KARACHI: The Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has once again raised the issue of prolonged load-shedding in Karachi with the prime minister, in his third letter on Friday.

In his third DO (demi-official) letter to the prime minister, the Sindh chief minister complained: “it seems the PML-N government has decided to target the people of Sindh for categorically rejecting it in the polls, however, we cannot act as a silent spectator to this situation.”

In the letter to the prime minister, Murad Ali Shah stated that he is compelled to write to him (the PM) yet again on the issue of reduced gas supply to the K-Electric for power generation due to which the people of Sindh, particularly of Karachi, continue to be deprived of electricity.

The only losers, he said in the on-going blame game between the K-Electric and the SSGC are the residents of Pakistan’s largest city. The CM said: “I may emphasize again that the responsibility of resolving this issue lies with the Government of Pakistan, as it owns over 70 percent shares of SSGC and almost 25 per cent shares of the K-Electric. He said both the regulators i.e. NEPRA and OGRA are also federal entities.

He said it is also important to note that when the implementation agreement was signed between the private party and the Government of Pakistan for the privatization of Karachi Electric Supply Corporation, the Sindh Government was not made a party to the said agreement.

The chief minister said through the agreement, the Government of Pakistan guaranteed the payment of all the outstanding liabilities payable to KESC, including those of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB). While, the Sindh government is paying the current dues of KW&SB on time, the payment of liabilities remains the responsibility of the Government of Pakistan as per the contractual arrangements.

He said the apathy and indifference being demonstrated by the Government of Pakistan in resolving this issue is not only adding to the miseries of the people of Karachi but is also turning it into a law and order problem as various political parties and civil society organizations have threatened to agitate on the streets over this issue. “It is apprehended that vested interests may take advantage of the situation by resorting to violence, thus threatening the peace in Karachi, which has been achieved through intense efforts of both the governments and through great sacrifices of our law enforcement agencies,” the chief minister said.

The Sindh chief minister further said that it is not only Karachi that is suffering due to the indifference of the Government of Pakistan , but also other areas of Sindh, which are experiencing electricity outages for an average of 16 hours a day and in some places up to 20 hours a day due to the poor performance of HESCO and SEPCO. “This is an appalling failure of the government machinery,” he deplores.

The chief minister complained to the prime minister that it seems that the PML-N government has decided to target the people of Sindh for categorically rejecting it in the polls, however, we cannot act as a silent spectator over this situation. He further said “the people of Sindh are citizens of Pakistan and enjoy equal rights and consideration under the constitution. He added “the citizens of this province are not ready to tolerate the Government of Pakistan’s blatant discrimination anymore,” he warned.

While concluding the letter, the chief minister tells the prime minister that if this reminder also fails to wake up the federal government to the plight of the people of Sindh and fails to bring an urgent remedial response from it, he will raise the issue strongly in the CCI and the NEC meeting scheduled next week and will not participate in the discussion on any other agenda item unless a decision is made on this issue to the satisfaction of the justified demands of people of Sindh.

He hoped immediate directives will be issued by the prime minister’s office to all concerned for resolving this issue without any further delay and without letting things get out of control.