Public Issues

Karachi’s Unending Power Crisis

A Call for Accountability and Alternatives to K-Electric

Concerned authorities, courts, and policymakers should ensure accountability and explore alternatives to K-Electric’s monopoly

The residents of Karachi are facing severe hardships due to frequent and prolonged power outages, even in fully paid-up, non-theft zones, amid extreme summer temperatures.

Sawera nadeem

Karachi, the bustling economic heart of Pakistan and home to over 20 million citizens, continues to reel under a crisis that seems to worsen with each passing summer: the unrelenting, unjustified, and poorly managed power outages at the hands of K-Electric. In 2025, when the world is surging ahead with renewable energy innovations, AI-powered smart grids, and 24/7 uninterrupted electricity in even remote regions, the citizens of Karachi are forced to endure hours-long blackouts — not due to lack of infrastructure or theft in all cases, but due to K-Electric’s sheer inefficiency and administrative incompetence.

A Heatwave Made Worse by Darkness

This year, Karachi has seen one of the most punishing summers in recent memory. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, temperatures have consistently hovered between 42 to 45 degrees Celsius over the past two weeks. The heat index in densely populated localities like Gulistan-e-Johar, North Nazimabad, Malir, and Shah Faisal Colony crossed 50°C, making electricity not a luxury, but a lifesaving necessity. Yet, even in these extreme weather conditions, entire neighborhoods have been left without power for 8–10 hours a day, and sometimes even longer.

Shockingly, many of these areas regularly pay their electricity bills on time and have a negligible record of electricity theft. Residents feel victimized for being honest consumers. “We are punished for being law-abiding,” says Mrs. Faiqa, a schoolteacher from Gulshan-e-Iqbal. “There are no dues on our account, yet every day, we suffer long outages without any explanation.”

K-Electric’s Failure in Numbers

According to a report by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) in early 2025, K-Electric received over 100,000 complaints in the first quarter alone, with the majority related to unannounced load-shedding, billing errors, and transformer failures. Independent monitoring suggests that Karachi experiences the highest average outage duration per household among all major cities of Pakistan.

Furthermore:

  • 76% of complaints in the last six months were about power outages in fully paid-up areas.
  • 58% of residents reported that they did not receive any response from K-Electric’s helplines.
  • Despite promises of system upgrades, over 45% of K-Electric’s infrastructure is still outdated, with frequent transformer failures and low-voltage issues in peak hours.
  • Unscheduled outages rose by 28% compared to 2024 — despite no significant increase in demand or fuel shortages.

What is even more alarming is the lack of transparency and communication. K-Electric frequently fails to issue outage schedules or give proper justifications, forcing citizens to live in uncertainty, sleeplessness, and suffocating conditions. The elderly, infants, and patients suffer the most, with hospitals and clinics also bearing the brunt of unreliable supply.

Accountability? Nowhere in Sight

K-Electric, being a privatized utility, is supposed to ensure efficiency and customer satisfaction, yet it appears to operate with no fear of accountability. Despite repeated assurances to regulatory authorities, the company continues to blame external factors — fuel shortages, grid overload, or weather — without addressing its internal administrative collapse.

How long will Karachi suffer under this monopoly? Why are there no alternatives for citizens despite living in a supposedly deregulated market? Why is the government silent on these repeated violations of basic consumer rights?

LOADSHEDDINGCitizens Deserve Choices, Not Monopolies

In a democratic society and an open market economy, monopoly breeds corruption and complacency. It’s high time for the Government of Pakistan, NEPRA, and the Supreme Court to intervene decisively. Citizens of Karachi deserve choices — the freedom to switch to alternate electricity providers if they receive poor service.

Several countries in Asia and Africa have already implemented multi-vendor electricity models, where consumers can choose among competing companies. This competition has led to better service, innovation, and lower prices. Karachi, the city that generates over 15% of Pakistan’s GDP, deserves no less.

We urge the federal and provincial governments to:

  • Break K-Electric’s monopoly by inviting other private electricity providers to operate in Karachi.
  • Audit K-Electric’s performance and finances to identify mismanagement and inefficiencies.
  • Implement a consumer-centric energy policy, with an emphasis on transparency, renewable integration, and fair pricing.
  • Create a public grievance redressal mechanism with legal backing and fast-track court hearings for electricity-related injustices.

The Courts Must Intervene

The ongoing human suffering caused by K-Electric’s incompetence must be treated as a violation of fundamental rights. The Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the right to life, dignity, and equal treatment — none of which can be upheld when citizens are forced to survive in 45°C heat without power.

Read: K-Electric Defies NEPRA Instructions

The courts must take suo motu notice of this crisis and question why the people of Karachi are being held hostage by a private company with no accountability. Just as the judiciary intervenes in matters of public interest, this too demands urgent legal scrutiny and long-overdue justice.

We Are Not Living in the Stone Age

Electricity is not a privilege — it is the backbone of modern life. From hospitals and schools to homes and industries, every aspect of modern civilization relies on a steady power supply. In 2025, when smart cities are being built and electric cars are hitting the roads, it is outrageous that Karachi’s residents still suffer from 8-hour power cuts like it’s the 1970s.

The youth cannot study. The elderly cannot rest. Businesses cannot operate. Food rots in refrigerators. Patients suffer in hospitals. Is this the quality of life we signed up for?

Final Appeal

This is not just a news story; it is a plea for justice, accountability, and change. Let this article be a wake-up call to all authorities, stakeholders, and decision-makers:

The people of Karachi have suffered enough.

K-Electric has failed its consumers.

Now is the time for action — not words.

We demand:

  • Immediate restoration of reliable electricity to bill-paying areas.
  • An end to unscheduled load-shedding.
  • Legal action against negligence.
  • Alternatives and competition in the electricity market.

Because Karachi deserves better. Because Pakistan deserves better. And because electricity is not a luxury — it is a right.

Read: K-Electric Torments Sindhi Society Residents

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Sawera Nadeem, based in Karachi, is a Mass Communication student with a passion for research-based writing.  She focuses on topics that highlight public interest and social impact. She can be accessed at sawairanadeem89@gmail.com

 

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