Loadshedding in Karachi: SHC issues notices to Ministry of Energy, others

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday issued notices to the Ministry of Energy, Sindh government, KE and others on a petition against unannounced loadshedding in the city.

Petitioner Syed Mehmood Akhtar Naqvi submitted in the petition that the federal minister of energy had assured the provincial government the federal government would resolve the power loadshedding problem with the KE. However, despite the assurance, prolonged power loadshedding was still continuing from 6 to 14 hours in different parts of the city.

He submitted that the KE failed to generate 2,000 megawatt electricity for the city and only 852 megawatt electricity was being generated from power plants of KE. He submitted that the KE was purchasing 1,442 megawatt electricity from National Transmission and Dispatch Company and other sources but failed to meet the power shortages in the city.

He submitted people, including women and children, were facing extreme hardships due to prolonged power loadshedding in the hot summer season. He said that the KE, despite power loadshedding, was sending excessive utility bills to its consumers, which was unlawful. The court was requested to direct the KE to end power loadshedding in the city and submit a comprehensive plan for restoration of power supply in the city.

The court observed that power generation was the responsibility of the KE. The SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, after preliminary hearing of the petition, issued notices to the Federal Ministry of Energy, Sindh government, KE and others and called their comments.