KARACHI, 24 MAY (DNA) – Federal government is deliberately creating electricity crisis to victimize the people and divert their attention from the Panama Leaks and other misdeeds of the Sharif government in the whole country, special in Sindh and its capital city Karachi.

Electricity need of the country was 23,700 megawatt while the total power generation capacity was 23,600 thus practically there was a meager shortfall of just 100 megawatt. “But the Federal government and its electric companies were inflicted an artificial shortfall of 7,000mw upon the people during the severe heat wave the country is undergoing nowadays.

This was stated by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a statement Tuesday. He said that Nawaz Sharif government paid hundreds of billions rupees circular debt and, in some cases, the extra payments were made to the IPPs but still it was imposed artificial load-shedding on the consumers to burn them in the scorching heat.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that providing electricity is a state function as per our constitution and the world over it remains the same but the PML-N government was targeting the people with unannounced load-shedding and mock power breakdowns, which should be vehemently condemned by every Pakistani.

He further said that Sindh province was producing surplus electricity but its length and breadth have been subjected to unbearable load-shedding by PML-N government. He condemned the attitude of K-Electric, which means only minting money and fleecing the people of Karachi without supplying electricity.

“K-Electric has capacity 1,800mw and 1,000mw supply from other resources including IPPs and WAPDA. But it generates only 400mw through gas-fired power plants and has practically shut down its Furnace Oil power plants to save billions of rupees in profits while Karachiites burn under fire-spitting son,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that old areas of Karachi including Lyari, Kharadar, Keamari and other poor localities are specially targeted with 8-12 hours of load-shedding. Residents of Lyari were even compelled to hold a Dharna (protest sit-in) outside K-Electric office yesterday against the discriminatory attitude of the concerned authorities.

PPP Chairman said he was informed that K-Electric has switching to use of silver cables instead of copper, which don’t pick much load thus multiplying the electricity crisis.

He also warned K-Electric, HESCO and SEPCO to stop issuing over-billing to the consumers and improve their performance without any delay. Otherwise, the people won’t tolerate this victimization and come out on roads against them. DNA