Govt must take over control of KESC: Raza Rabbani

Condemning the management of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) for its failure to provide smooth supply of electricity to the consumers, Senator Raza Rabbani on Friday demanded that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) immediately take over the company.

Speaking on a Point of Order, he said the KESC had failed to provide services to the consumers and the government had no option but to retake the control of the company.

He said the PPP strongly opposed the decision of KESC’s privatisation and informed the then government that handing over an essential utility to foreigner investors would prove a security risk.

“Time has proved that privatisation of KESC was a wrong decision and now all the sensitive installations are under threat,” he added.

Rabbani said that the KESC management has adopted anti-people and anti-worker policies and was following an agenda to close industrial units in Karachi by power crisis and ensure import of third rated goods of foreign countries to Pakistan.

He alleged that the KESC management terminated 4,500 lower cadre employees and people were being recruited on contract.

“On the one side, the management is trying to ban trade unions and on the other the company is promoting contract culture in the country,” he said.

Rabbani alleged that the company did nothing to provide smooth electricity to the consumers but was involved in minting money by regularly raising tariff.

He said that MD KESC and its management were drawing lucrative salaries and other perks while the company was not ready to pay to lower cadre employees.

He said foreigner investors were trying to ban trade unions in Pakistan.

Rabbani said that even MD KESC refused to meet the Governor and Chief Executive of the province which was a blatant violation of country laws.

“Are foreigner investors above the country law,” he inquired and said they have to obey to the law of the land.

He said the Chairman of Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has also asked Nepra to take over KESC.

He also criticised Chairman Nepra for not taking action against KESC and demanded of the Chair to take up the issue with him.

He said it was a conspiracy to derail the democratic system in the country and the government should sort out the issue immediately.