JI announces protests over load shedding, demands end to K-Electric monopoly

KARACHI: Jammat Islami (JI) Karachi chief Hafiz Naeem Ur Rehman on Tuesday set a three-day deadline for KE over prolonged power outages in the city amid the ongoing extreme weather conditions, ARY News reported.

Addressing the press conference here in Karachi, the JI leader said that if KE fails to end load shedding in three days the JI would launch protest demonstrations across the city against NEPRA and KE nexus.

The JI leader also demanded of the authorities to halt the process of over-billing and load shedding.

The government has failed to provide any relief to Karachiites, he said, adding that the then KESC was privatized to end load shedding but despite the passage of 16 long years the KE was able to increase the production of electricity by 11 percent only.

“30 million people in Karachi have no effective platform to complain against the K-Electric,” he added and demanded the federal government to end the monopoly of Karachi’s sole power provider on power generation, distribution and sale of electricity.

The residents of Karachi continued facing long hours of load shedding.

The duration of load shedding has been increased up to 10 to 12 hours in the areas, where the load shedding schedule was already enforced.

The areas exempted from the power outages are also facing power cuts under name of repair and local faults. Areas including, Gulshan-e-Maymar block-2, Defence Phase-2, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 4A, Shah Faisal Colony, Kaneez Fatima Society Block one, Manghopir and other areas are facing load shedding.