FACED with prolonged power outages over last many weeks, the people of Karachi would certainly have heaved a big sigh of relief on Saturday when Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar while talking to media persons said there will be no unannounced load-shedding in the provincial capital from Sunday as power utility company K-Electric will be provided with additional furnace oil and gas to generate electricity. This indeed will address a lot of distress of Karachiites and help them adjust their routine life accordingly.
Since Asad Umar has a background of corporate sector and understands the problems of Karachi well, one has great expectations from him to deliver on the promises made with people of the provincial capital by PTI before elections and currently the foremost problem faced by them is prolonged power outages. It is a matter of satisfaction that present government is not leaving entire onus on K-electric but coming forward in a big way and supporting the utility company to enhance its generation as well as address capacity constraints.
Given the neglect of past one decade or so, the problem cannot be fixed overnight, yet we understand that a good beginning has been made to end longstanding issue of the city. Asad Umar also gave a complete break-up of how additional electricity will be generated for the city in coming months and years. Apart from ensuring timely completion of these projects, it is important to cleanse the city of power pilferage and ‘Kunda culture’ on the pattern of operation launched against gangsters and militants plus making investments in improving transmission and distribution system. Doing so will further improve the power supply.
