Karachi, 14th August 2021:
Commemorating Pakistan’s 74th year of Independence, K-Electric’s senior management team visited the Coach Emad Football Academy in Lyari to celebrate the occasion with the community and its representatives along with the elected officials of the area. In addition to a flag hoisting ceremony, a friendly football match was organized for local residents to showcase their skills.
Lyari epitomizes resilience and diversity. As one of the oldest areas of Karachi, it is home to hundreds of markets including the iconic Jodia Bazaar and the Timber Market. It is also an exporter of sporting talent to the country producing footballers and boxers who have played at national and international levels as well. The only individual medal winner for Pakistan in Olympics Hussain Shah is the son of Lyari. Shah won his medal at the boxing event of the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Small businesses have mushroomed across the area in the past decade, empowering the residents and contributing to the local and national economy.
In line with its commitment to the city of Karachi, K-Electric has been working on providing a safe, reliable, and consistent supply of power to spur socio-economic development. In the last fiscal year alone, KE has invested over PKR 850 million in its continued vision to drive growth in Lyari, and future plans continue to be conceived to extend the load-shed exemption to these areas.
Through sustained investments and with cooperation from the elected and community representatives of the area, KE has been able to successfully exempt over 40% of Lyari from load-shed, impacting the equivalent of 60,000 households. Today, areas like Agra Taj Colony, Nishter Road, Bolton Market, Khori Garden, and Behar Colony are among those receiving an uninterrupted power supply.
Furthermore, KE has installed over 46,000 meters in the area in just the last year, which demonstrates the growing appetite for electricity. Over 60% of the Pole-Mounted Transformer network has also been converted to Aerial Bundled Cables which ensures the continued supply of safe electricity to this densely populated area. To facilitate consumers, KE’s area teams regularly organize camps and undertake initiatives to engage the community and support them in acquiring regularized metered connections at lower costs.
While addressing the event, UC Chairman – Habib Hassan said, “Today, we are jubilant to have CEO KE, Moonis Alvi, and his team during the Independence Day celebrations, and hoisting of Pakistan’s flag. We are also glad for the fact that they have chosen to come to Liyari, the heart of Karachi, to mark this important day. K-Electric has been working diligently for the development of Lyari for the past many years. I would also like to pay tribute, especially to K-Electric’s field workers that despite initial resistance from the community, they continued to serve the people with all their hearts. K-Electric has transformed a lot and the contribution it has made for the overall improvement of the community is indeed praiseworthy. We are thankful to K-Electric for not only eliminating load-shed from many parts of Lyari but also for their help in developing the community with the provision of a RO plant, football club as well as renovating and maintaining a school in the area that is home to 500 children. If we continue to work together for Lyari’s continued improvement, the people of Lyari will become the source of enormous pride for the nation in the future.’
Speaking on the occasion, CEO, K-Electric – Moonis Alvi said, “It is a matter of pride for us to see the phenomenal growth that Lyari has shown. This region is a microcosm of Karachi, always bustling no matter what the time of day. We are honored to play a role in improving the quality of life for our valued consumers not just in this area but across our operational territory. We believe that sustainable change is driven from the grassroots, which is why we engage with the community beyond just the provision of quality electricity infrastructure. We established the Lyari Football League to encourage the talent of this area to showcase their skills and channel their energy positively. I am sure that one of these athletes will follow the example of Hussain Shah and bring more laurels for Pakistan at the Olympics.”