SC orders restoration of power supply to KMC head office, parks

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered restoration of electricity to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) head office and its parks, and directed the Sindh government to submit a proposal with regard to the payment of outstanding electricity dues of the KMC to K-Electric (KE).

The apex court’s direction came when it was hearing the matter of non-payment of electricity bills of the KMC to the KE. The SC directed the KMC to install separate meters for residential units of its employees working at the parks. KMC’s counsel Sameer Ghazanfar submitted that the corporation was facing a severe shortage of funds and the Sindh government was not issuing grants to it.

He said over Rs1.7 billion was to be paid to the KE which had disconnected power supply to the KMC head office and its parks. A counsel for the KE submitted that the KMC had not paid electricity bills of April and May due to which its power supply had been disconnected. The finance secretary informed the SC that the Sindh government had called a meeting of the KMC and the KE in order to reach a workable solution regarding the payment of the outstanding dues.

The apex court directed the KE to restore power at the KMC head office and its parks and directed the provincial government to submit a proposal with regard to the payment of the outstanding electricity dues to the power utility.