‘Other DISCOs also make efforts, but K-Electric stands out’

K-Electric has been directed to continue its path of performance turnaround so that it can stay as a model for other power distribution companies (DISCOs).

The direction was given by Amir Ahmed Shaikh of the Pakistan Police Service, who is member (incharge), Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman)’s Secretariat, Regional Office, Karachi, on his visit to KE’s head office.

Shaikh was greeted by KE Chief Executive Officer Moonis Alvi and the company’s senior leadership, including Chief Distribution & Marcomms Officer Sadia Dada and Chief Risk Officer & Company Secretary Rizwan Pesnani. Shaikh also visited KE’s Mega Centre at the Tipu Sultan IBC to witness on-ground performance of the power utility.

At the outset, Shaikh was given an overview of KE’s performance turnaround since its privatisation, its efforts to become a more customer-centric company, and its digital transformation journey. He was also briefed that KE serves roughly 3.8 million customers spread beyond Karachi in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

“KE needs to continue its path of empathy towards the customer,” Shaikh said on his visit to the mega centre. “We receive complaints, but the company’s performance in addressing them, and its compliance is 95 per cent, which is quite impressive. Other DISCOs also make efforts, but KE stands out.”

He said he has also directed KE to continue its path. “They have set the bar quite high already. But I believe in improvement and results.”

For the customer, he added, KE has centres that address complaints during the entire customer journey. “Customers also have the federal ombudsman that addresses customers’ grievances. I urge all citizens to utilise these forums.”

Alvi said on the occasion that KE also believes in remaining a customer-centric company. “We are glad that the member (incharge) is seeing on-ground reality of how we operate.” He said KE is committed to implementing the ombudsman’s decisions. “Moving forward, we will continue to make efforts to improve on this to create win-wins for the customer and our stakeholders.”

During Shaikh’s stint at the federal ombudsman secretariat, less than 13,800 complaints have been filed, with compliance of nearly 95 percent, which is the highest when compared with all the other DISCOs in Pakistan.

He was also apprised that KE has doubled its customer base, and halved its transmission and distribution losses since its privatisation. He was also given first-hand knowledge of key challenges the company faces in terms of low recovery of electricity bills and theft in 30 per cent of the company’s feeders network.

He directed KE to guide the other DISCOs, and share its digital transformation journey and customer-centric behaviour. He also praised the KE team’s professionalism, stressing that the company’s empathy has enabled it to become a more service-oriented entity.

He said Pakistan needs sustainable measures to promote productivity, and KE can be seen as an example that checks this box. He also stressed the need for evidence-based and efficient solutions to Pakistan’s economy, and commended KE for implementing a majority of his decisions during his stint at the federal ombudsman’s office.