KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday gave two-week time to K-Electric (KE) for submitting its reply on allegation of fleecing consumers and getting more bills from them through its ‘digital smart meters’.
SHC was hearing a plea filed by a citizen, Aziz Shahid, against the K-Electric for extorting extra bills through shoddy digital smart meters. The SHC gave two-week to the KE for submitting its answer.
However, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) submitted its comments, and said that it had received citizen’s application against charging of extra units of electricity in bill. NEPRA said that it had already sought explanation from the KE and the KE told that it had already resolved the citizen’s problem.
The counsel of applicant told the court that NEPRA’s answer was misleading because electricity meters are still being controlled from the K-Electric’s head office. He said that consumed units are frequently increased through mobile phones and remote control devices.
The petitioner said these meters which were imported from a Chinese firm are being controlled through some KE software. KE had extorted billions of rupees from consumers through this scam, the applicant said, and requested that investigation of this mega-corruption be handed over to National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The applicant also appealed the honorable court to give orders for removing these digital meters from the megacity, Karachi.