NAB Chairman taking note of public complaints has ordered inquiry against Karachi Electric for over-billing etc.
2. Last month in a talk show covering NEPRA’s public hearing, a senior anchor “twice” in his talk show stated that the KE CEO left the hearing to show how much “regard” he had for the Pakistani Regulator and the people.
3. June 2015 with much fanfare the Federal Ombudsman through a press conference in Karachi proudly announced his ordering all utilities in Pakistan to fix effective 01 July last date for payment of their bills by end first week of new month when people had their salaries in place of prevalent last dates by end of current month. KE in order to show being a foreign investor how much it cared for Pakistan’s ombudsman or his authority, till today “bravely” is issuing bills invariably with last dates as 28 to 30 of the running month. The last bill for July is with 29th July as last date of payment. The Federal Ombudsman’s job ended with proud announcement and adding a feather in the cap by including it in the Annual Report for the President of Pakistan that as one “delivery” to the common man. Federal Ombudsman never cared to look back in the relevant File what was the compliance from the KE. The Federal Ombudsman has an Implementation Wing with senior advisor, consultant etc. This Wing never cared to look back into the file did the KE submitted its compliance, if so was that actually implemented. Why should had it cared to check?
4. A few years back, KE launched a public awareness campaign on its website advising conscientious citizens to switch off their unnecessary devices or while going out in order to preserve energy in the national interest. As a conscientious citizen, I ensured to get this advice strictly followed by my family in the larger national interest.` I started receiving inflated bills. It was found the “Present Reading” shown in monthly bills, physically yet had to take weeks over week to actually come on the Meter. When I took up, I was told that since my consumption was less than since my consumption had dropped, I was being billed on Average. It was strange as acting on KE’s own advice I was cutting consumption to let my saved energy get into the national grid for the country and I was being penalized for acting on the same very advice given by KE itself. Thus for continuous five months I had to get myself pick-pocketed for my own fault of being conscientious civic minded citizen.
5. I approached the Federal Ombudsman against this pick-pocketing praying that KE be directed to remove this misleading campaign from its website. The Federal Ombudsman, the protector of citizens rights, rejected by complaint limine from formal processing on the ground that my complaint was (a) of a general nature and (b) that I am not an aggrieved. For five continuous months I was pick pocketed by KE for my sin of acting as a civic minded citizen on KE’s own advice and in the wisdom of the protector of citizens rights I was not an aggrieved!!
6. I wish NAB may also take into account as to how much was pulled through this modus operandi from the pockets of those who foolishly like me reduced their consumption to save national energy and were over billed making more healthier the cophers of foreign investor KE. I wish I could write to NAB formally directly but this 70 plus old is afraid of he may like his wife also be required to attend NAB. Recently she complained that SBP was not giving reply to her query despite reminders. The Federal Ombudsman summoned her for hearing in Karachi on 3rd, 10th & 17th March which was a time when world over there were no international commercial flights operating, world over governments were ensuring people don’t come out of their homes unless avoidable, Karachi airport was closed, only stranded abroad Pakistanis were landing on occasional chartered flights for 3 days quarantine at Karachi airport etc. The Federal Ombudsman had perhaps chalked out in such circumstances some special lke “time travel” for complainants like me travel international for a hearing at a prescription of Rs. 6 lac minimum to get “free” and “at door step” delivery of justice.
2. Last month in a talk show covering NEPRA’s public hearing, a senior anchor “twice” in his talk show stated that the KE CEO left the hearing to show how much “regard” he had for the Pakistani Regulator and the people.
3. June 2015 with much fanfare the Federal Ombudsman through a press conference in Karachi proudly announced his ordering all utilities in Pakistan to fix effective 01 July last date for payment of their bills by end first week of new month when people had their salaries in place of prevalent last dates by end of current month. KE in order to show being a foreign investor how much it cared for Pakistan’s ombudsman or his authority, till today “bravely” is issuing bills invariably with last dates as 28 to 30 of the running month. The last bill for July is with 29th July as last date of payment. The Federal Ombudsman’s job ended with proud announcement and adding a feather in the cap by including it in the Annual Report for the President of Pakistan that as one “delivery” to the common man. Federal Ombudsman never cared to look back in the relevant File what was the compliance from the KE. The Federal Ombudsman has an Implementation Wing with senior advisor, consultant etc. This Wing never cared to look back into the file did the KE submitted its compliance, if so was that actually implemented. Why should had it cared to check?
4. A few years back, KE launched a public awareness campaign on its website advising conscientious citizens to switch off their unnecessary devices or while going out in order to preserve energy in the national interest. As a conscientious citizen, I ensured to get this advice strictly followed by my family in the larger national interest.` I started receiving inflated bills. It was found the “Present Reading” shown in monthly bills, physically yet had to take weeks over week to actually come on the Meter. When I took up, I was told that since my consumption was less than since my consumption had dropped, I was being billed on Average. It was strange as acting on KE’s own advice I was cutting consumption to let my saved energy get into the national grid for the country and I was being penalized for acting on the same very advice given by KE itself. Thus for continuous five months I had to get myself pick-pocketed for my own fault of being conscientious civic minded citizen.
5. I approached the Federal Ombudsman against this pick-pocketing praying that KE be directed to remove this misleading campaign from its website. The Federal Ombudsman, the protector of citizens rights, rejected by complaint limine from formal processing on the ground that my complaint was (a) of a general nature and (b) that I am not an aggrieved. For five continuous months I was pick pocketed by KE for my sin of acting as a civic minded citizen on KE’s own advice and in the wisdom of the protector of citizens rights I was not an aggrieved!!
6. I wish NAB may also take into account as to how much was pulled through this modus operandi from the pockets of those who foolishly like me reduced their consumption to save national energy and were over billed making more healthier the cophers of foreign investor KE. I wish I could write to NAB formally directly but this 70 plus old is afraid of he may like his wife also be required to attend NAB. Recently she complained that SBP was not giving reply to her query despite reminders. The Federal Ombudsman summoned her for hearing in Karachi on 3rd, 10th & 17th March which was a time when world over there were no international commercial flights operating, world over governments were ensuring people don’t come out of their homes unless avoidable, Karachi airport was closed, only stranded abroad Pakistanis were landing on occasional chartered flights for 3 days quarantine at Karachi airport etc. The Federal Ombudsman had perhaps chalked out in such circumstances some special lke “time travel” for complainants like me travel international for a hearing at a prescription of Rs. 6 lac minimum to get “free” and “at door step” delivery of justice.
