Disagreement in treasury benches as Karachi faces long hours of loadshedding

ISLAMABAD: Members of the National Assembly on the treasury benches sparred over an extended period of electricity loadshedding in Karachi as hours-long power outages in the port city torture citizens in searing hot weather. 

Areas including Korangi, Lyari, North Karachi, and Surjani reportedly witness over 12 hours of loadshedding daily.

During today's NA session Minister of State for Finance, Revenue and Power Division Ali Pervaiz Malik apprised the legislative that K-Electric had achieved zero load shedding on 1,500 out of 2,109 feeders in Karachi.

The claim came in response to a Calling Attention Notice in the lower house of parliament, as the minister maintained that 6 to 10 hours of loadshedding was being conducted on the feeders with higher losses.

"The losses of ten feeders have exceeded 25% and the efforts are being made to reduce these losses with the help of local administration and public representatives," Malik said.

He further clarified that there was "no loadshedding of 16 hours", instead the duration for the blackouts was 6-10 hours.

At this, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Nabeel Gabol took an exception, saying that the minister of the state had been misinformed that the duration of loadshedding was 6-10 hours.

"My constituency in Lyari is facing 16-hour loadsheding," he said, adding that the departments give false briefings to the ministers.

He challenged Malik that he would resign as a member of parliament if the loadshedding was 10 hours long or the federal minister should resign if the duration was more than 10 hours.

At this, Malik said that the electricity tariff was regulated by the National Electrical Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) following a prescribed procedure.

He added that the electricity prices had not changed and the price hikes were due to fuel price adjustments.

The minister further said that electricity might be cut off for more than 10 hours on technical grounds and assured the lower house that all concerns of the National Assembly members would be addressed.

He promised that he would visit Karachi to resolve the issue and the agreements already made regarding net metering would not be compromised.

"The government aims to promote renewable energy and consumers on feeders with high losses also face difficulties, which is a valid concern, and transformer losses will be assessed to address this issue," he added.