KARACHI           -          The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Fri­day put off the hearing of a petition against unannounced load shedding and overbilling by K-Electric.

A two-judge bench of the high court, headed by Justice Khadim Hussain Sheikh, took up the petition filed by a citizen against the power utility over prolonged power out­ages and excessive billing. The court directed the petitioner to come pre­pared at the next hearing to put for­ward his arguments on the petition.

He submitted before the court that unannounced load-shedding is ongoing in Karachi with the city’s sole power distribution company subjecting various areas to up to 12 hours of load-shedding amid hot and humid weather. They contended that the denizens have grown sick of pro­longed load-shedding as no heed is being to the city’s power woes with political parties just playing poli­tics over the issue. The petitioners pleaded with the high court to re­strain K-Electric from resorting to unannounced power cuts and order the National Electric Power Regula­tory Authority (NEPRA) to take ac­tion against the power utility over such practice and negligence.

Meanwhile, Sindh Minister for En­ergy Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh on Friday participated in an online public hear­ing organized by National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NE­PRA), about complaints of consumers against K-Electric, at his office. Speak­ing on the occasion, Imtiaz Sheikh welcomed NEPRA for holding public hearing on issues of K-Electric related by electricity problems