Key Takeaways
- Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi initiates a mass mobilization campaign to collect 2 million affidavits.
- The drive aims to abolish the petroleum levy and end payments to Independent Power Producers.
- JI leader Monem Zafar demands a reduction in electricity and water bills, citing infrastructure issues.
Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi has launched a fresh public mobilization drive to collect two million affidavits, demanding the abolition of the petroleum levy (PL) and an end to payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq on Friday, JI Karachi chief Monem Zafar announced that protest camps would be established at 25 locations across Karachi from September 26.
The JI leader stated that the demand is to abolish the 'extortion levy' and get rid of the 'IPP mafia', adding that a three-percentage-point reduction in the policy rate could generate a benefit of about Rs1,700 billion.
Zafar referred to a recent decision by a tribunal constituted by NEPRA, which reduced K-Electric’s basic tariff by Rs7.60, providing the government a benefit of around Rs200 billion. He urged that this benefit should be transferred directly to the people.
The JI leader highlighted the severe heat and load shedding in Karachi, stating that every citizen, including children, elderly people, and women, is distressed by the conditions.
Zafar also mentioned the ongoing 'Haq Do Karachi Tehreek' and the brunt being borne by people in the city, interior Sindh, and across the province due to the 'noora kushti' between the PPP and MQM.
He alleged that K-Electric was currently operating 'mafia-like' in Karachi and carrying out up to 18 hours of load shedding in the name of aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses.
Zafar questioned why the entire population should be punished for the non-payment of bills by two or three percent of people in an area.
Water lines burst frequently in the city, and the K-IV project was not being completed, with its augmentation work progressing at an extremely slow pace, according to Zafar.
Our demand is to abolish the extortion levy, get rid of the IPP mafia and fix the price of roti at Rs10.
Monem Zafar, JI Karachi chief
It is K-Electric’s responsibility to catch those who steal electricity. If two or three percent of people in an area are not paying their bills, why should the entire population be punished for it?
Monem Zafar, JI Karachi chief
