JI approaches SHC against load-shedding in Karachi

The Karachi chapter of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has filed a petition with the Sindh High Court (SHC) against frequent load-shedding in Karachi by the K-Electric (KE), requesting the court to direct the power utility to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to end load-shedding and improve power supply infrastructure in the city.

Filing the petition on Thursday, JI Karachi Emir Munem Zafar and the leader of the opposition in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation City Council, Saifuddin Advocate, submitted that the KE had been carrying out load-shedding for an average duration of 10 to 16 hours daily in different localities on the pretext of losses attributed to power theft and this practice had severely affected the quality of life of the citizens.

They submitted that the load-shedding situation in Karachi was alarming in the heatwave scenario as hundreds of people were being hospitalised while many citizens had lost their lives due to extreme hot weather in the city in last couple of weeks.

The JI leaders said that as per the KE, of the 2,109 feeders in Karachi, 1,500 faced no load-shedding, while others were subjected to load-shedding according to their loss rates, which meant that 71 per cent of the feeders had no load-shedding.

They submitted that the KE’s claim that high-loss areas in Karachi faced up to 7.5 hours of load-shedding when energy demand was at its peak and low-loss areas faced no load-shedding was incorrect.

They petitioners maintained that the KE had increased the duration of load-shedding in phases, with the city now facing two to four hours of power outages in the night hours and 40 per cent of the city facing worst load-shedding at a time.

They submitted that the KMC City Council had unanimously passed a resolution condemning the KE's failure to provide uninterrupted electricity supply, especially during heatwave and the resolution called on the KE to immediately upgrade its infrastructure and generation capacity to meet Karachi's electricity demand and prevent further loss of life due to power outages.

They submitted that the continuous load-shedding and power outages were causing severe hardship and distress to the residents of Karachi, affecting their health, safety and overall quality of life, and also causing significant economic losses to them.

The petitioners said that small businesses relying heavily on a consistent power supply were forced to cease operations during power outages, resulting in financial losses and unemployment while larger industries were also being impacted, leading to decreased productivity and economic output that had a rippling effect on the city's economy.

The JI leaders submitted that the education sector was also severely affected as a result of power cuts as students were unable to study or attend online classes and they had to take matriculation and Intermediate examinations during load-shedding hours, which was detrimental to their academic performance and prospects.

They submitted that the healthcare sector had dire consequences due to load-shedding and hospitals and clinics, especially those without adequate backup power systems, struggled to provide necessary medical care, risking patients' lives.

They said that residents were forced to spend additional money on alternative power sources, such as generators and UPS or solar systems, which were costly to purchase and maintain and this extra financial burden was particularly heavy on low-income families.

The JI leaders submitted that the environmental impact of load-shedding was also significant as an increase in the use of diesel generators had led to higher emissions of greenhouse gases and pollutants, contributing to air pollution and ecological degradation.

The high court was requested to direct the KE to immediately halt the practice of load-shedding and adhere to Nepra Performance Standards Rules and Nepra Fine Regulations. The petitioners requested the SHC to direct the KE to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to finish load-shedding, including measures to curb power theft and improve infrastructure as soon as possible.

They also sought directions for Nepra and regulatory authorities to take immediate and effective measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the citizens of Karachi, particularly in the heatwave conditions in summer, enforce their regulations strictly and take appropriate action against the KE for violations.