Over Rs 4 Billion In Unpaid Debts Cause K-Electric To Cut Off Power To The Lines Area.

According to sources, K-Electric, Karachi’s only electricity distributor, explained Monday that power had been cut off in the city’s Lines Area neighborhood because defaulters had not paid their bills.

According to the spokesperson, the amount owed to the defaulters has risen to an astounding “Rs 4 billion”. Citizens of the Lines Area have been instructed by K-Electric to make sure that their dues are paid on time. According to the spokesperson, decreasing or completely removing load shedding in the region depends on the defaulters’ prompt payment of their debts.

Here, it is important to note that the Lines Area has been without energy for 2-days, forcing locals to protest extended power outages. Prolonged water and electricity outages sparked protests in “Khudadad Colony and the Lines Area”.

Police Handle The Situation

Traffic was halted by demonstrators close to “Shahrah-e-Qaideen and Lines Area Parking Plaza”. According to reports, several demonstrators set fire to trees and flung stones at a K-Electric office. Police showed there to regulate traffic and handle the incident.

For the 1st time in Pakistan’s history, consumers will be able to select their power providers when the country’s electrical market is opened, according to proposals unveiled by the federal government. Customers consuming one megawatt or more could select their electricity provider starting in January 2026.

Dr. Fakhar Alam Irfan, the secretary of the Power Division, informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Power of the development. According to the secretary, the government had begun work toward an open power market, and more competition would help guarantee that customers would pay more.

Power Sector Suffered Losses

He also mentioned circular debt, one of the industry’s most enduring issues, pointing out that although it had leveled off over the previous 3-years, it was still a significant worry. The Secretary of the Power Division added that the power sector suffered losses of “Rs600 billion” in 2024. He insisted that the government had already cut them to “Rs397 billion” this year and that more cuts were in the works.

According to Dr. Irfan, losses that above the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (NEPRA) targets end up adding to the circular debt, which is finally paid for by the federal budget, rather than having an immediate impact on consumers. He also ordered that power feeders that had losses of up to “20%” not be shut down, advising that doing so would hurt government revenue and customers.