AmeerJamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi MonemZafar has called on the top management of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to refrain from emulating the practices of K-Electric, urging the company to prioritize the welfare of Karachi’s residents. Following a meeting at the SSGC headoffice on Thursday, Zafar addressed the media to discuss his concerns. During the meeting with SSGC Deputy Managing Director SaeedRizvi, Zafar expressed dissatisfaction with the company’s handling of customer relations, specifically highlighting excessive billing and the imposition of harsh load shedding in Karachi despite a staggering 450 percent increase in tariffs over the past 22 months.
Zafar emphasized several key issues, including disrespectful treatment of consumers, illogical fixed charges, arbitrary slow-meter charges without justification, and conical baffle installation fees. He criticized SSGC for opting for lengthy 12-hour load shedding instead of upgrading outdated supply lines. Referencing Article 158 of the Constitution, Zafar pointed out that the region producing gas should receive priority in its supply. Given that Sindh generates 60 percent of the country’s gas, he insisted that the province deserves preferential treatment in gas distribution.
Furthermore, Zafar firmly rejected the dollar-based seven-year power generation tariff for K-Electric, criticizing the government’s financial support for a company that has repeatedly defaulted on its obligations. He called for a more equitable approach that safeguards the interests of Karachi’s residents.
