The majority of parties operating in Karachi have issued a shutter-down strike call for Friday against the treatment being meted out by the management of the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) to some 4,500 workers and the citizens of Karachi.An all parties conference (APC) was convened on Tuesday by the KESC workers union CBA to deliberate the workers strike and the inconvenience to citizens, but interestingly, both the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) were not invited. Those invited included Awami National Party (ANP), Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), JSQM-Aresar, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazlur Rehman (JUI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Punjabi Pakhtun Ittehad (PPI), Balochistan National Party (BNP), PPP- Shaheed Bhutto and Workers Party Pakistan (WPP).
ANP-Sindh chief Shahi Syed moved a suggestion to strike against the KESC over the power crisis, which was accepted and endorsed by all parties. The APC also announced to support the workers’ stance against the KESC, and called for the reinstatement of those who have either been sacked or planned to be sacked. A meeting will also be convened on June 4, where workers and union leaders will deliberate voluntarily present themselves for arrest. A future course of action will also be mapped out. WPP, PML-N, JI and others also called for the nationalisation of KESC. KESC CBA Chairman Ayaz Mengal welcomed the APC strike call, and said that the protesting workers will support the APC strike. He termed HR Committee, which was formed by KESC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tabish Gauhar, an eye wash. He said the committee after second round of talks sought 24 hours, which later turned to 48 hours, and eventually Gauhar in a press conference refused to talk with protesting workers. He added that the protesting workers will not return to work until the acceptance of their demands.
On the other hand, power outages continued to cripple various parts of the city. Areas of Malir Halt, Rafa-e-Aam Society, Defense Phase-II, Akhtar Colony, North Karachi Sector 5-B, Jublee, Garden, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, North Nazimabad, F B Area, Jamshaid Road, Kharadar and Behar Colony facing day-long power outages due to cable faults. A KESC spokesperson said the power utility continued to repair local faults against continuing attacks by miscreants at its offices, employees, assets and network for about one month now. At Fleet Management head offices, miscreants stopped employees from entering into the office. Miscreants also forced themselves inside the offices of management officers and harassed them, he added.
At the Civic Centre head offices of Energy Conservation and Revenue Protection Department, the miscreants blocked entry and locked the entrance stairs, he said, adding that around 1.30pm on Tuesday, five to 10 masked men came to the KESC Defence IBC in Phase-II and started abusing the security guard to open the gate. When the guard stood his ground, the attackers pelted the building with stones.
The KESC spokesperson added that miscreants torched a street light maintenance vehicle belonging to Cantonment Board Clifton near DHA Phase-II. The board officers lodged an FIR over this incident against KESC CBA Union’s office-bearers. Later, in the same vicinity of Akhtar Colony, about 50 to 60 workers tried to torch KESC trucks parked outside the power utility’s office.
Miscreants also damaged and disabled eight sub-stations, the spokesperson said. At KCHS, sub-station “G”, at PECHS sub-station “P”, at KDA Scheme No. 1, five sub-stations, No. 1, 2, 1-A, Al-Hamra and Oakwood, and Kamal Park sub-station were rendered out of function. Oil was drained out, high tension bushing damaged and bush bars were stolen. Inam, supervisor operations of KESC’s Shah Faisal offices, was intercepted and beaten up by miscreants when he was inspected the Community Hall feeder.
