SHC issues notices on plea seeking action against K-Electric over electrocution deaths

The Sindh High Court issued notices to the advocate general of the province, the local government, K-Electric (KE) and other respondents on Friday on a petition seeking action against the power utility for its “failure” to ensure maintenance of its installations that caused deaths of more than 20 citizens in monsoon rains in Karachi.

Aamir Aziz submitted in the petition that over 20 persons, including children, were electrocuted and lost their lives in the July 29 monsoon rains in the city due to the failure of the KE to maintain its electricity infrastructure in the rains.

He further said that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) did not take action against the KE for its failure to maintain the infrastructure as most parts of city remained without electricity for several hours.

He requested the court to direct Nepra to take action against the KE and direct the power utility to pay compensation to the legal heirs of people who lost their lives due to the KE’s alleged negligence.

Commissioner-KE meet

Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani held a high level meeting with the KE management at his office on Friday in the wake of deaths due to electrocution in the city during the recent rain.

The commissioner expressed his displeasure at the tragic incidents of electrocution, criticising the power utility’s performance.

According to a statement issued by the Commissioner Office, Shallwani directed the power utility to ascertain the cause of 14 deaths due to electrocution separately, and fix responsibility for them in 48 hours and present a report as the federal and the provincial governments wanted to know the reasons behind the incidents.

Strict action would be taken against those responsible for the deaths, he said. The commissioner asked the KE to improve and upgrade its system and operations so that such incidents could be prevented in the future. He also directed the power utility to facilitate the public in its maximum capacity as it was the only power utility company for the city.

A representative of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) was also present at the meeting who informed the commissioner that Nepra had already directed the power utility to submit a detailed report on the incidents of electrocution in two weeks. He added that a Nepra team would visit Karachi to inspect all the cases of electrocution during the rainfall.

“We have already asked the KE to present their report on their safety measures,” said the regulatory authority’s representative. Sindh Energy Department Additional Secretary Muhammad Ishaq Khuhro informed the meeting that they had also ordered an inquiry into the matter.

The police authorities briefed the meeting that only one formal FIR had been registered in the Paposh Nagar area for an electrocution incident, while for the remaining incidents only entries had been made in the relevant police stations.

The KE representatives expressed sorrow for the deaths and said no justification could be presented for what had happened. They said after the inquiry, they would take action against the culprits. The power utility also sought governmental support to increase their performance in the city.

Shallwani observed that residents of Karachi had to face immense troubles due to the power breakdowns in the city. He said in the future, measures should be taken to provide relief to the citizens and the KE should upgrade its system on modern lines.

FIR against KE

Meanwhile, police on Friday registered a case against the KE administration following an electrocution incident during the recent monsoon rain in Karachi.

A man, identified as 30-year-old Shaikh Saad Ahmed, died after he received electric shocks from an electricity pole near Chandni Chowk in the Paposh Nagar area during rain on July 29.

Paposh Nagar SHO Farrukh Hashmi said the police registered an FIR No 160/19 on behalf of the victim’s brother, Shaikh Waqas Ahmed, against the KE administration, adding that the police had included the Section 322 in the FIR that pertained to negligence. The SHO said the victim’s brother held the KE administration responsible for the incident as he claimed that wires at the pole were broken and they had complained to the KE about that.

This is the first case which has been registered against the KE administration. Earlier on Thursday, Additional IG Karachi Ghulam Nabi Memon had told the media that FIRs would be registered against the power utility over recent deaths of people due to electrocution, if negligence was proved on its part.

JI protests against KE

The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) on Friday held a demonstration outside the head office of the K-Electric (KE) against the death of five children who died of electrocution during the rains earlier this week.

JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naim-ur-Rehman announced that protest demonstrations against the KE would be held at 50 spots in the city on Tuesday. He said that the KE had to give an explanation for 22 people who died of electrocution during the heavy rainfall. He added that the family members of the deceased wanted justice and the JI was standing shoulder to shoulder with them.

Emotional scenes were witnessed at the spot when the legal heirs were demanding justice. He said those who raised slogans against corruption never raised voice against the loot and plunder of the KE, and said that Minster for Power Omer Ayub should be ashamed that the deceased’s families were being warned not to register any case.

The JI chief claimed that the power utility had become a mafia with the collusion of some parties. He demanded that cases should be registered against the KE and the families should be paid compensation.

He warned that if justice was not provided to these poor citizens, they would protest outside the Chief Minister House and the Governor House.