CJP takes K-Electric CEO to task over prolonged power cuts
- By Web Desk -
- May 12, 2018
KARACHI: K-Electric on Saturday came in for a lot of flak from the Supreme Court for carrying out prolonged load-shedding in the city.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, who headed a three-judge bench, took Tayyab Tareen, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the power utility, to task over extended hours of power outages in the city.
The bench was hearing a case pertaining to prolonged load-shedding being carried out in the metropolis at the apex court’s Karachi registry.
At the outset of the hearing, the chief justice came down hard on the CEO of K-Electric, saying: “You are not supplying electricity to residents of Karachi. Should we leave them at your mercy?”
Is there any fault in the company’s power generation or supply system that forces it to carry out load-shedding, he posed a query. Even if there is a fault, then it will push residents into hell, he wondered.
Justice Nisar said he is seeing media reports on how citizens are suffering from the load-shedding. If faults occur, then there should be a backup mechanism to meet the electricity shortfall, not that the people are made to bear the brunt, he added.
The CEO said two of 18 power generation units of the company are hit by faults, and efforts are underway to remove them at the earliest.
He said the required parts of the units are being procured from abroad which will take approximately two weeks to reach here.
The power utility has been producing 2650 megawatts of electricity against the demand of 3200 megawatts, facing the shortfall of 550 megawatts.
The holy month of Ramazan is around the corner, the CJP said and asked how will people go about without electricity. “This is sheer negligence, why action shouldn’t be taken against you,” he said addressing the CEO.
Tareen informed the court that scheduled load-shedding is being carried out in some areas of the city.
The apex court, meanwhile, directed him to submit a schedule for power cuts that the power company intends to carry out until May 20.