Govt to soon decide K-Electric’s fate: Asad Umar

KARACHI: Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar has said that the government would soon decide whether K-Electric (K-E) should remain privatised or be handed over to the federal government.

Talking to the media on Saturday, the federal minister said a meeting was held with K-Electric officials to discuss the situation in Karachi, wherein questions and concerns raised by the Supreme Court (SC) were also discussed.

He said that in the existing system, the regulator is not subject to the government. However, K-Electric’s license can be changed as per the order of the apex court.

“The power issue was also discussed with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah.”

The minister said that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has the power to increase K-Electric’s tariffs, adding that the electricity rates in Karachi would remain in line with the rest of the country.

Referring to the drainage issue in the metropolis, the federal minister said encroachments were made on drains which caused problems during the monsoon showers.

“At the moment, Karachi does not want politics. It just wants to see work being done,” he said.

He recognized that the issues in the country are a result of lack of mutual communication.

Meanwhile, the planning minister said that Pakistan’s winning streak had started after successes in the fight against Covid-19 and now its revival plan.

“All elements of the state – civil, military, federal, provincial – came together to deal with Covid-19 and same approach would be adopted to deal with perennial problems of Karachi,” he said in a tweet.

He said success against corona had been globally recognized and now the revival plan of its largest city is indicating that Pakistan’s winning streak has started.

Asad Umar said the Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced the biggest development package for Karachi in the history of the country. “This historic development work for Karachi will be executed with joint coordination of the Centre and the province,” he added.

He said no politics would hinder the development works for the uplift of the people and soon such development works in other areas of Sindh would also be initiated.