Expressing alarm over the letter written by the Karachi South deputy commissioner (DC) regarding the long-pending issue of its non-core employees, the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) on Thursday asked the DC to act according to the laws and not on his whims.
In his official letter to the power utility on January 18, the DC had written that any further delays by the KESC in resolving the issues with its labour union can lead to a law and order situation for which the KESC management will be held responsible.
In a legal reply to the DC South on Thursday, the KESC termed the assertions as false and “amounting to denial of public functionaries of Sindh from performing their statutory duties”, and asked the DC to withdraw the communication.
“The provincial functionaries are required to act in accordance with the law and not at their own whims and fancies. The letter issued by the DC South was in utter disregard of facts. The DC needs to provide full assistance and take prompt action for the benefit of KESC, its employees, officers and consumers to ensure that no illegal hindrances by any persons claiming to act on behalf of any union were allowed in any manner to hamper or frustrate the normal business activities of KESC in compliance with the Sindh High Court’s order,” it was stated.
The KESC stated that the power utility cannot be burdened with the maintenance of law and order, adding that the contents of the letter were in disregard to the illegalities committed by the KESC’s labour union or taking note of the correct and prevalent facts.
Recalling that under the agreement executed on July 26, 2011 together with an accompanying Code of Conduct among all stakeholders to which the DC South was himself a signatory, the KESC claimed that the labour union’s acts amounted to blatant violation of court orders as well as breach of the agreement.
The power utility called upon the DC South to duly discharge his constitutional and public functions through the maintenance of public order and to abide with the court order. “Any omission or failure to do so would amount to a wilful disobedience of the court order and could render all concerned liable to be tried for contempt,” it was stated.
