Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi has strongly opposed the proposed Rs3.9 increase in K-Electric’s monthly fuel adjustment charges for July, calling on the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to revoke K-Electric’s license. Imran Shahid, Chairman of JI Karachi’s KE Complaint Cell, voiced these concerns during an online NEPRA hearing on Thursday.
He warned that the proposed hike would impose an additional burden of Rs6.2 billion on the residents of Karachi, who have already been struggling with the high cost of electricity. Shahid criticized the fuel adjustment charges, claiming they were designed to benefit K-Electric at the expense of 35 million Karachiites.
He urged the government to not only revoke K-Electric’s license but also to conduct a forensic audit of the company’s accounts and supply electricity to Karachi through the national grid. The JI leader also highlighted that K-Electric has been providing the most expensive electricity in the country for the past 19 years. He accused Independent Power Producers (IPPs) of draining the national exchequer through capacity charges, with Independent Transmission Companies engaging in similar practices. Shahid noted that power plants in and around Karachi have the capacity to produce 5,000 megawatts of electricity, sufficient to meet the city’s needs.
However, instead of supplying this electricity to Karachi, it is transmitted to Punjab through an 846-km transmission line. He further alleged that the Independent Transmission Company has received Rs122 billion in capacity charges, adding to the financial strain on the economy. Shahid stated that K-Electric’s high electricity costs and related issues have led to the collapse of 30 percent of Karachi’s industries, resulting in the loss of 600,000 jobs.
