KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has instructed NEPRA to carry out a detailed survey of K-Electric’s operations following a petition by Jamaat-e-Islami against the ongoing issue of unannounced load shedding in Karachi, as per the report.
During the hearing, Justice Faisal Kamal Alam expressed concern over the frequent and prolonged power outages affecting several areas of the city, where residents reportedly face up to 12 to 18 hours of load shedding daily.
The court directed NEPRA to send a technical team to Karachi to thoroughly examine K-Electric’s systems and assess the situation.
The judge questioned the effectiveness of K-Electric’s performance since it was privatized and pointed out that even short spells of rain continue to cause power failures lasting for hours.
“What has K-Electric done to improve its infrastructure and utility services?” the court asked. The bench also sought clarity from NEPRA on whether it has the technical capacity to carry out a proper audit of K-Electric’s operations.
NEPRA’s legal representative informed the court that the authority had taken action against the utility company, including issuing show-cause notices and imposing a Rs. 20 million fine.
However, the judge responded critically, asking, “What difference have these fines made to load shedding or the health of Karachi’s residents?”
The court was not satisfied with NEPRA’s explanation and questioned the real impact of its oversight.
The petition filed by Jamaat-e-Islami highlighted the severe disruption caused by unscheduled power cuts, which continue to affect daily life and business operations in the city, despite K-Electric’s privatization.
The court emphasized the need for accountability and demanded concrete answers on whether the issue of load shedding in Karachi has improved, and what actual upgrades K-Electric has implemented over the years.
It’s worth noting that during an earlier hearing, the court had also issued notices to K-Electric and others in response to the same petition, which pointed to unfair load shedding based on line losses.