Karachi       -   Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Chief Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman announced holding protest demonstration outside the K-Electric head office today (Friday) against its negligence that led to electrocution of 22 citizens during the rain. Addressing a press conference on Thursday here at Idarae Noor-e-Huq, Hafiz Naeem said that 22 people including five children lost their lives due to criminal negligence of the power utility during two days of rain in the city.  He was of the view that there was need to take strict action against the KE to provide relief to the masses, adding that the issue would not resolved only through expression of concerns by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority. He said that the JI would approach the court for registration of FIR against the KE head Masood Naqvi and other officials. “The KE had proved to be a stain for corporate sector during last 14 years as it is looting the consumers in the name of different charges. It has been two days since we had a rain but there are many areas which are still deprived of the electricity,” Hafiz Naeem added.  The JI leader also demanded that the families of those who electrocuted should be paid Rs 10 million each as compensation by the KE.

He also asked the federal government to nationalize the lone power utility of Karachi as ‘it had failed to provide relief to the people even after its privatization’.

“It is very unfortunate that the Prime Minster Imran Khan didn’t take notice of loss of human lives in Karachi owing to electrocution, nor he offered condolence with the bereaved families,” Hafiz Naeem said while expressing regret. Taking a jibe at Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Mayor Karachi, he stated that on the one side. the people of Karachi were electrocuted but on the other side, both these leaders were enjoying Tea at Cafe Piyala.

Speaking on the occasion, the JI MPA Syed Abdul Rasheed said that the party once again played its role of serving masses without being in power and its volunteers were on roads during the rain in the city. He said that the criminal negligence of K-Electric has caused deaths of over 22 people in the city.

“I have submitted a resolution in the Sindh Assembly against power utility,” said the lawmaker and further asked the Sindh government to take action against KE authorities and dispense justice to the families who lost their loved ones due to faults in KE infrastructure.