Punishing the innocent

I am a law-abiding citizen and resident of a housing society in Clifton, Karachi. I write this letter not just as an individual, but as the voice of a neighbourhood drowning in darkness, heat and despair. Every single month, I pay my electricity bill honestly and on time. Yet, in return, K-Electric punishes our society with over 10 hours of daily loadshedding, even as the scorching heat in Karachi becomes unbearable. My school-going children cannot sleep and cannot study and my poor, elderly mother cries in silence, unable to bear the suffocating heat and constant power cuts.

KE blames electricity theft in our area. But even if that is true, is it fair to punish innocent bill-paying citizens for the crimes of others? If someone is stealing electricity, it is the company’s job to identify and catch them. Why should honest families like mine suffer daily agony? The situation in my housing society is becoming tense. I appeal to KE, the government and all concerned authorities to restore fairness to the electricity system and protect those who are doing the right thing.

Mehfooz Aleem

Karachi