Power and privilege

KE recently resorted to loadshedding in Karachi after SSGC, following dispute over the payments, reduced the gas supply. It refused to switch over to furnace oil to maintain the supply. Although the payment issue remains unresolved, gas supply was restored to KE by SSGC after the intervention of the PM. As per media reports, KE owes billions of rupees to the gas utility company. A similar payment issue also surfaced some years back when SSGC stopped gas supply to Pakistan Steel Mills, the largest industrial complex of the country.

However, the government chose not to intervene at the time and instead decided to shut down the plant. The moot point is: why have different approaches been adopted in the case of PSM, a government-owned entity, and KE, a private enterprise? Justifications need to be given for the unfair treatment meted to PSM while granting special privilege to KE.

Arif Majeed

Karachi