KARACHI: Angered by a tug of war between K-Electric and Sui Southern Gas Company that has resulted in the ongoing electricity crisis, the Pak Sarzameen Party and the Jamaat-i-Islami took to the streets and held separate demonstrations on Friday and appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the situation and provide relief to the citizens of the country’s commercial capital.

The PSP demonstration was held outside the head office of the K-Electric in Gizri and the JI staged its protest in front of the Karachi Press Club after the Sindh chief minister managed to persuade it not to hold a demonstration outside CM House.

Both parties were equally critical about the power utility as well as the government and also sought the intervention of the CJP.

Both parties condemn the ruling elites for abandoning Karachi

PSP protest

The PSP organised a big demonstration outside the KE head office. Carrying banners and placards, a large number of PSP workers, including women, reached the KE head office from all over the city to lodge a peaceful protest against the prolonged loadshedding.

Speaking on the occasion, PSP chairman Mustafa Kamal said that the KE and SSGC created an “artificial crisis” for money only to punish the people of Karachi.

He condemned the “non-serious” attitude of the prime minister, chief minister as well as the KE and SSGC. He said that instead of playing his due role in resolving the crisis the chief minister was talking about staging a sit-in. “Do you think people are fools?”

He said that KE used gas to generate power but did not pay dues to the gas utility. He said that the SSGC also waited for the summer so that it could curtail the gas supply to KE and demand payment of dues at the cost of the “lives of children of my city”.

Mr Kamal appealed to the CJP to take suo motu notice of the power crisis and provide relief to the people of Karachi.

JI denounces overbilling by KE

The JI denounced “exorbitant billing” by the KE from Karachiites. It also vowed to call a “peaceful strike” on April 27 against the power utility and said that the call was also “supported by the Sindh chief minister”.

Speaking to protesters outside the KPC, chief of the JI’s Karachi chapter Hafiz Naeemur Rehman said that the ruling elite abandoned the city which generated revenue to run the national economy.

Criticising “criminal silence” of the parties which had been enjoying electoral mandate of the city for the past three decades, the JI’s city chief appealed to the people of Karachi to make the April 27 strike successful.

He also appealed to the CJP to take suo motu notice of the alarming situation in the city with regard to the power crisis.

Karachi mayor

Mayor Wasim Akhtar said on Friday that the KE must take necessary measures to ensure proper power supply or the situation could get even worst in the hot weather.

According to a press release, the mayor said the protests against prolonged loadshedding were proof that the people were in immense agony and felt helpless.

He said the government and institutions concerned must take notice of this situation and do something to provide relief to the citizens.

Published in Dawn, April 21st, 2018