KARACHI: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Saturday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi drawing the latter’s attention to reduced natural gas supply by the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to K-Electric, which has resulted in increased hours of power outages in the metropolis.
In the letter, the CM has quoted KE and said, “Karachi’s power supplier is receiving only 90 MMCFD gas which is insuf?cient to optimally run gas-based power plants that require at least 190 MMCFD.”
“The result is shortfall of further 500 MW in addition to existing shortage of 400 MW. This unfortunate situation is happening when Karachi is in the grip of unusually severe heat wave and KE consequently has resorted to more than 10 hours of load shedding across the city.” reads the letter written by CM.
The chief minister added that KE claims that SSGC is reluctant to sign the GSA in the light of Economic Co-ordination Committee decision i.e. allocation of 276 MMCFD for KE power plants whereas KE is regularly paying the current bills of SSGC.
Murad Shah said that the increased load-shedding in Karachi was alarming, especially since weather was unexpectedly hot for the time of the year as temperatures as high as 40-degree Celsius were already being reported.
Shah has requested the prime minister to direct SSGCL to act in accordance with the Economic Coordination Council’s decision and take a holistic view of the situation, rather than reducing gas supply to the biggest power utility in the country. “It (increased load-shedding) directly affects people of Karachi, economy of Sindh and Pakistan,” CM said, urging the federal government to direct the SSGCL to ensure uninterrupted supply of 276 MMCFD natural gas to KE so that the people of Karachi could be relieved of unscheduled outages.
Shah has also suggested the prime minister to constitute a committee comprising representatives from federal and provincial governments, SSGCL and KE to resolve the payment claims of both the companies. Separately, CM Shah said that after restoration of law and order in the city, international events have started taking place and foreign investment is also pouring in. The Chief Minister made these remarks during a meeting with Ambassador Alice Wells, a senior bureau official in the United States Department of State’s Bureau of South and Central Affairs.
Acting Consul General of USA John Warner, Acting Deputy Consul General in Karachi Adam Zerbinopoulos, Planning and Development Department chairman Mohammad Waseem, and Principal Secretary to CM Sohial Rajput also attended the meeting.
Shah expressed satisfaction over the law and order situation in the city. He said there was marked improvement compared to previous many years.
“The government has worked out a detailed plan and with the political will and support of the people of Karachi, the city has been cleansed from terrorists, mafias and outlaws through a rigorous targeted operation,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that after all these efforts the lost glory of the city was finally returning. “International cricket has returned and major events like sermons of Syedna Mufadil Saifuddin, the visit of Prince Karim Aga Khan have also taken place peacefully,” he said.
CM Shah and the visiting diplomat agreed to work together in non-formal education sector. The Sindh Education Foundation is regulating non-formal education and trying to reach areas where proper schools do not exist. The Chief Minister said that he has given special focus to the development infrastructure from Karachi to Kashmore and Tharparkar. “Special attention has been given to education and health sector. Schools built by USAID are being launched as English-medium schools.”
The Chief Minister told the visiting guest that a water supply line has been laid out for 200 villages of Tharparkar, particularly those located in the far-flung areas and very soon these villages would get piped water. “We have also installed RO plants. They are functioning and providing clean water, though some of these plants have capacity issues that we are working to solve,” he said.
Matters of investment in alternate energy were also discussed during the meeting. Murad Ali Shah said that there were huge wind and solar energy corridors in Sindh from where energy was being produced but still there were ample investment opportunities in the province.
The Chief Minister said that the Jacobabad Institute of Medical Sciences (JIMS) was a great gift of the American people for the people of Sindh. “We are further improving it with best doctors, technical staff and services,” he added.
Murad Ali Shah said that his government was also putting its best efforts to provide clean water to the people of Sindh. “There is a dire need of installing de-salination plants in Karachi and we are working on a plan to install such plants to resolve drinking water issues.”
The visiting guest congratulated the chief minister on holding the PSL final match and wished him best of luck for the upcoming Pakistan-West Indies cricket series. “This is the manifestation of the government’s commitment to make this mega city a seat of prosperity, entertainment and learning,” she said.
The Chief Minister presented Sindhi ajrak, khes and cap to the visiting guests.
Published in Daily Times, April 1st 2018.