KARACHI: Muhammad Farooq Shaikhani, President of the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI), has formally requested Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) to provide detailed information on the collection and utilisation of various taxes, including extra charges and late surcharges on electricity bills. In a letter addressed to Hesco CEO Roshan Ali Otho, Shaikhani demanded comprehensive data on the total amount collected from commercial and industrial consumers in Hyderabad over the past ten financial years.
The request seeks transparency in how these collected taxes, amounting to billions of rupees, have been managed, particularly how much has been transferred to the federal government. Shaikhani emphasized that revealing this information is essential for fostering accountability and restoring trust between Hesco and the local business community.
This call for transparency comes amid growing dissatisfaction among Hesco’s commercial and residential consumers. The company faces criticism for poor service, including frequent power faults, damaged infrastructure, overloaded transformers, and inflated bills. Allegations have also surfaced that Hesco staff are complicit in power theft, issuing bogus bills as cover.
Shaikhani’s request aims to shed light on the financial dealings of Hesco, ensuring that the funds contributed by Hyderabad’s citizens and traders are being allocated and utilized appropriately.
