KARACHI: Bureaucracy of K-Electric, NEPRA and the Ombudsman’s office still failed to restore personal power supply of well-known expert on electric affairs Aneel Mumtaz that was disconnected on May 12, 2023 without stating any reasonable justification and still lingered on through traditional red-tapism while consumer has already overpaid Rs 259,000 to KE. Utility is claiming dues of Rs 188,411 towards outstanding.

However, neither KE nor NEPRA nor even officials of Ombudsman’s Secretariat are eager to seriously consider consumer’s grievances in this summer season without electricity.  Inefficiency of NEPRA personnel may be highlighted by fact that they did not even bother to read complaint of consumer in which he had specified that total billing of KE was about Rs 1674,000 while utility had already received Rs 1933,000 from Aneel Mumtaz. Affected consumer filed complaint against KE with NEPRA officials but they did nothing to redressal of his complaint. After this hopeless attitude, complainant approached office of Federal Ombudsman against this maladministration.

NEPRA through its letter June 9, 2023 informed Ombudsman that they had suspended proceedings in view of matter that Complainant has approached office of Wafaqi Mohtasib, Karachi and matter is subjudice before office of Wafaqi Mohtasib. In view of this lame excuse, poor consumer’s sufferings continued in scorching summer heat and lasted more than five weeks by violating basic human rights.  Earlier, Secretariat of Wafaqi Mohtasib after receiving complaint of Aneel Mumtaz addressed letter to Registrar, NEPRA on June 1, 2023 that complainant had alleged maladministration by NEPRA on subject matter. Registrar was called upon by Riaz Ahmed Memon, Associate Advisor to redress grievance and reply, including rebuttal, if any within seven days. Further extension in submission of reply, would be considered only for seven days if your request is received with full justification within seven days of receipt of this letter. He called that hearing of this case will be held on June 12, 2023 in his office.

Riaz Ahmed clearly advised NEPRA Registrar in this letter to depute an officer fully conversant with facts of case and authorised to give statement/make commitment on behalf of agency during hearing. Officer, so deputed should bring complete record of case and produce attested legible copies of all supporting documents/relevant laws, rules, regulations, etc. In case you fail to submit reply within due date or your representative does not appear for hearing, case will be decided ex-parte on basis of available documents and competent authority of agency would be asked to take disciplinary action against concerned officer as specified in Clause 1 of Article 14 of P.O.1 of 1983 and Sub-Regulation 5 of Regulation 15 of Wafaqi Mohtasib Regulations, 2013. But NEPRA officials do not bother to take care of these regulations.    

Published in The Daily National Courier, June, 19 2023

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