K-Electric has shifted the blame for the electricity prices hike and said that the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) is responsible for expensive electricity being generated by the power utility as it is unable to provide natural gas.
The KE made the argument at a Sindh High Court (SHC) hearing on a case related to a payment dispute between the two entities and a reduction in gas supply from SSGC to KE.
The lawyer of KE, Barrister Ayan Memon, said that due to a shortfall in gas supply, the company is unable to generate the required amount of power. He said instead of providing natural gas, SSGC is providing RLNG, which costs eight times more, resulting in expensive electricity.
The lawyer added that Managing Director (MD) SSGC, Imran Maniar Malik “should be charged with contempt of court” due to his absence during the hearing.
In response, the SSCG’s lawyer revealed that Malik was currently abroad and could not attend the hearing. Consequently, the High Court asked the gas company’s representative to provide a written response from their MD. SHC also warned the SSGC lawyer that if the MD failed to submit a written response, he would be summoned to court personally.
After hearing the arguments, the court issued a notice to MD SSGC and sought a response from him on September 8.
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Since the privitization of KESC, this is what we hear each year, SSGC is to blame for electricity shortfall/price hike. If this problem has not been solved for about two decades, is there any hope for it in the future?