KARACHI, June 29: MQM members of the Sindh Assembly on Thursday expressed grave concern over the persisting load-shedding in Karachi, and appealed to president and prime minister to take cognizance of the situation by visiting the metropolis.

Addressing a news conference at the party headquarter ‘Nine Zero’, the MPAs appealed to the president and prime minister to intervene immediately and get the power supply issue sorted out because the persisting load-shedding had turned Karachi into a hell, seriously affecting normal life and also hampering the industrial activity.

Pointing out that the unending crisis had enraged people to the extent that they had taken to the streets and resorted to violence; the legislators noted that in this scorching heat, the prolonged load-shedding was having a telling effect on the citizens’ nervous system and psyche.

For many days now, people have been enduring the extremely hot weather conditions while students were finding it very difficult to concentrate on their studies to prepare for their ongoing examinations.

Power failures, they pointed out, was also creating water crisis in the city whereas all activities at hospitals, business concerns and industrial units were getting affected badly. Many small industries had to stop functioning for want of electricity, they noted.

Recognising that the power supply problem in Karachi was an age-old one, they pointed out that every year, the KESC and the authorities concern would assure that there would be no load-shedding from the next year.

However, in a sprawling megapolis, with the rise in population, power supply position would become more and more critical every year. Since the privatisation of the KESC, the problem had aggravated further, they observed, indicating that the new KESC management had not taken appropriate steps to overcome the crisis.

They said that in their recent meetings with the KESC management, they had apprised it of the problems, concerns and anger of the people over the continuing power failures. However, despite this and the public reaction in the form of power riots, the KESC management had failed to come to its consumers’ rescue.

They also blamed Wapda for not providing the KESC with the required load, adding that it was thus also responsible for the woes of power consumers in Karachi.Pointing out that the Haq Parast leadership of city government had launched a massive development programme in the city, the MPAs said that due to the power failures, the progress on various projects was being affected.

They were of the view that people’s outrage over the persisting power crisis was quite natural. They also noted that the defeated elements were trying to capitalise on the situation and create a law and order situation.