No relief from loadshedding as KE backtracks on promise to govt.

KARACHI -- People perspiring profusely in sweltering weather may not be able to take a sigh of relief in the coming days as the K-Electric on Wednesday said that it was 'compelled to conduct loadshedding even during the night hours' due to non-operation of two power plants because of lack of indigenous gas.

Hours after the power utility gave assurances to the provincial authorities at two separate meetings that it would end night loadshedding in residential areas and concrete steps were being taken to eliminate the menace across the city, the power utility announced that two power plants capable of 200 megawatts remained non-operational for the past many months due to non-supply of indigenous gas and the utility was compelled to conduct loadshedding even during the night hours as the shortfall was persisting round-the-clock.

The assurances had been given by the power utility in separate meetings - one chaired by Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh and the other by commissioner of Karachi Muhammad Iqbal Memon who had been directed by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to summon KE's top management to resolve the issue of severe loadshedding in the financial hub of the country.

In his meeting with the energy minister in the afternoon on Wednesday, KE chief executive officer Moonis Alvi assured that there would be improvement in the situation of loadshedding across the city in the next 24 hours, while Chief Distribution Officer Amir Zia in his meeting with the commissioner had also assured that there would be no more loadshedding during night hours.

Earlier in day, KE assured ministers of no outages at night; later on conducts loadshedding

He had assured the meeting participants that the KE would end night loadshedding in residential areas across the city in the next two to three days for which necessary steps were being taken 'expeditiously'.

The commissioner told the KE top officials that the power crisis must be resolved at all costs.

The energy minister told Dawn that he summoned the top management of the K-Electric in his office on the severe loadshedding being carried out in Karachi. 'I was instructed by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to call a meeting with the power utility and ask them to take concrete steps to end prolonged and unannounced loadshedding in the city,' he added.

The meeting was attended by Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, Chief Minister's Special Assistant Waqar Mehdi, National Assembly Member Nabil Gabol, MPAs Javed Nagori...

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