Severe hours-long power outages in Karachi’s largest commercial hub, Jodia Bazaar, have paralyzed trade activities, prompting the Pakistan Chemicals and Dyes Merchants Association to warn of devastating impacts on the national economy if the power supply issue is not resolved.
PCDMA Chairman Saleem Wali Muhammad, in a formal letter sent to K-Electric on Tuesday, stated that continuous loadshedding is causing severe financial losses to traders.
Muhammad elaborated that due to the constant lack of electricity, essential tasks such as inventory management and processing transactions through the FBR’s required digital system have become impossible. He added that under these circumstances, it has become nearly impossible for the business community to carry out necessary office work.
The PCDMA chairman highlighted the specific and disruptive schedule of power cuts, which occur four times daily during business hours: from 9:35 AM to 11:05 AM, 1:35 PM to 3:05 PM, 5:05 PM to 6:35 PM, and 8:35 PM to 10:05 PM. These prolonged outages often lead to the cancellation of business deals or force businesses to operate on expensive generators.
He emphasized that Jodia Bazaar is the highest revenue-generating market for the government. However, without electricity, traders can neither run their businesses nor fulfill their obligations for sales tax, income tax returns, and mandatory e-invoicing. Muhammad added that K-Electric has not responded to the association’s letter.
Saleem Wali Muhammad demanded that K-Electric cease loadshedding in the commercial area and take effective measures to ensure a continuous power supply. He warned that if action is not taken, the crisis will worsen, leading to more severe economic problems for wholesale traders and related industries, with full responsibility resting on the power utility.