Condemning the violent attacks by “illegal consumers and non-payers” at its offices in Bahadurabad and Nazimabad, the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has demanded that the law enforcement agencies ensure adequate protection of the utility’s assets.
“Wednesday’s attacks, in which several outsourced trucks, cranes, repair vehicles and those belonging to utility employees and private citizens were damaged besides the office furniture and fixture, were directly in violation of the basic interests of the city’s 20 million inhabitants as the attacked offices are serving a wide range of genuine and honest electricity customers,” the KESC stated in a press release issued on Thursday.
These incidents are glaring examples of the state playing the role of a silent spectator, leaving public utilities at the mercy of vandals, as the law enforcement agencies only half-heartedly resisted the attack at Bahadurabad, but at Nazimabad, the police did not even arrive at the spot, it was alleged.
The KESC stated that such incidents could drastically disrupt the electricity supply scenario across the city if adequate security is not provided at the earliest.
“A mob of power thieves who are in the chronic habit of non-payment of bills had demanded preference over the legal consumers by asking to replace two PMTs in Lines Area, which has burnt many times because of their own enormous thefts,” the power utility claimed.
The KESC said that its officials at Bahadurabad office informed the head office about the massive overload by illegal power users, overdue bills of Rs 7.3 million against the Fazal Paan PMT and Rs 11.3 million against the Butt Video PMT in the Lines Area.
“By any standards, they do not come in the category of customers, as the recovery ratio in the area is below 20 percent,” the KESC stated.
Therefore, the power company did not entertain their demands but asked them to stop stealing electricity and start paying their bills. However, the mob forced entry into the VIBC Bahadurabad and ransacked the property.
Despite frantic requests, the law enforcement personnel made no attempts to stop the attackers, the KESC alleged.
“At VIBC Nazimabad in Gol Market, a smaller group of hooligans also fired gunshots and later set on fire three vehicles parked outside. Windscreen and side mirrors of three other vehicles were also damaged in the attack,” the KESC claimed. “The fire brigades arrived at the KESC officials’ request but the police did not reach the scene at all.”
The power utility stated that such non-action from state organisations could enlarge the scope of anti-social attacks by power thieves in other localities.
“The KESC cannot provide free electricity to non-payers at the cost of genuine and honest customers,” it was said. “All stakeholders need to play their due role without any prejudice and preconceived notions for continuing the smooth supply of electricity.”