JI to hold 13 sit-ins tomorrow to demand decrease in electricity price

Karachi Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Monem Zafar has announced that 13 sit-in protests will be held in Karachi tomorrow (Friday) in response to the call of JI Central Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman to exert pressure on the government to pass on effects of the reviewed agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) to the consumers.

Addressing a press conference held at the Karachi JI headquarters, Idara Noor-e-Haq, he demanded that the government channelise the monetary benefits of renegotiations with the IPPs towards the consumers, decrease the electricity tariff, eliminate excessive taxation, end load-shedding and overcharging, and get Karachi rid of the K-Electric (KE).

He alleged that the evil nexus of the government, National Electric Power Regularity Authority (Nepra) and KE had put Karachiites at the mercy of the power utility. The JI leader said that on the one hand, the KE used all nefarious tactics to overcharge Karachiites and on the other hand, the citizens had been facing loadshedding of up to 12 hours, including both announced and unannounced loadshedding.

He recalled that the erstwhile Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) was privatised in order to ensure cheap and uninterrupted power supply for the people of Karachi. However, he maintained, the privatised company badly failed on both fronts as neither could it increase the power generation, nor could it supply uninterrupted power.

Zafar criticised the Pakistan People Party (PPP) government in Sindh for its approach towards the education sector. He said the government wanted to hand the universities over to bureaucrats.

He expressed his support for the protesting teachers and students. He also highlighted the issue of traders and criticised the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over his controversial remarks for traders.

He said the PPP had been ruling over Sindh for the past 16 years and it was a part of the extortion and gang war in Karachi. The JI leader said the ruling class had increased their salaries by 140 per cent and intended to purchase vehicles worth Rs2 billion for top brass officers at a time when 40 per cent population was living under the poverty line.

He also condemned the ruling regime in connection with the amendments to Peca. He said that on the one hand, the PPP was assuring the journalist fraternity of its full support on the matter, but on the other hand, President Asif Ali Zardari had signed the Act. He said the Peca amendments were tantamount to killing the right to express and journalism.