Sindh govt warns of action against KE if deaths occurred due to loadshedding

• Probe underway to ascertain cause of deaths in Karachi, says Lanjar.
• Home minister says cases will be lodged against KE officials.
• Number of mysterious fatalities in metropolis rise to 22.

KARACHI: The Sindh government has warned of lodging murder cases against the city's primary electric supplier K-Electric (KE) if loadshedding is found to be the reason behind mysterious deaths reported in the metropolis in recent days.

Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, while expressing grief over several deaths reported in Karachi in the past few days, said that a probe is underway to ascertain the reason behind these deaths and that KE will be held accountable if power cuts are found to be the reason behind those fatalities.

"Murder cases will be filed against managers and officials of KE," the minister said.

Lanjar's remarks come as the number of deaths reported in the country's financial hub rose to 22 on Tuesday, said a spokesperson of the Chhipa Welfare Association.

The city has been gripped with extreme weather provisioning scorching temperatures in recent days with the mercury even touching 42°C while "feels-like" exceeding 50°C earlier this week.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted hot and humid weather to continue in the coming days.

The extreme weather conditions have been further exacerbated by 12 to 14-hour loadshedding in various areas which has added to the woes of the Karachiites.

Over the past couple of days, around 150 heatstroke patients have been brought to Karachi’s Civil Hospital, including 40 citizens affected by intense heat remained admitted to the medical facility, Geo News reported on Tuesday.

Despite the public outcry, KE has maintained that 70% of its network remains "loadshedding free".

"The loadshedding schedule is subjected to a quarterly review on the basis of the losses of a particular area. The localities with lower losses are given the benefit of fewer power cuts or exemptions from power cuts altogether. Whereas areas reflecting electricity theft and defaulting bills are subjected to increased loadshedding accordingly," the company said in a statement last week.

This is not the first time the Sindh government has been at odds with the utility supplier over power cuts in the megalopolis.

Last month, Sindh Minister for Energy Nasir Hussain Shah had also warned of filing cases against KE if any person died of heatstroke.