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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KARACHI 000053 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/12/2019 
TAGS: ENRG EFIN EINV PK
SUBJECT: SINDH - UNRESOLVED DEBT ISSUE COULD SHORT-CIRCUIT 
KARACHI ELECTRIC DEAL 
 
REF: A. KARACHI 21 
     ¶B. 08 KARACHI 508 
     ¶C. 08 KARACHI 587 
     ¶D. 08 KARACHI 533 
     ¶E. 08 KARACHI 199 
     ¶F. 08 KARACHI 420 
     ¶G. 08 KARACHI 600 
     ¶H. KARACHI 32 
 
Classified By: Classified by Consul General Stephen G. Fakan for reason 
s 1.4(b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  In a January 27 meeting Karachi Electrical 
Supply Company (KESC) Managing Director Naveed Ismail told 
the CG that the Dubai-based Abrajj Group may not finalize the 
purchase of KESC unless the Government of Pakistan (GOP) 
assumes a debt that could run as high as $1.06 billion to the 
federally owned Water and Power Development Authority 
(WAPDA).  WAPDA provides KESC power on an as-needed basis, 
but there is a major disagreement on price.  Although KESC 
receives widespread criticism, Ismail is confident that he 
can turn the firm into a profitable corporation, and has 
taken such bold steps as slashing 10,000 jobs and turning off 
power at government agencies which haven't paid their bills. 
Until the WAPDA debt impasse and the larger "circular debt" 
issue are resolved, however, the possibility of Abrajj's 
handing KESC back to the cash-strapped GOP remains.  End 
summary. 
 
The WAPDA Debt: A Deal Breaker 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) 
announced that Dubai-based Al Abrajj Capital, a consortium of 
private investors and sovereign wealth funds, would take over 
the company in July 2008 (ref F), but Abrajj did not assume 
operation of KESC until September 2008.  At the time, KESC 
owed $620 million to the federally owned Water and Power 
Development Authority (WAPDA), which supplies electricity to 
KESC. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) WAPDA, for its part, claims KESC may owe it as much 
as $1.06 billion.  The discrepancy arose over how the 
electricity was priced.  Abrajj can still cancel the KESC 
purchase if an agreement is not reached on this issue. 
Ismail told the CG he wants the deal to work if at all 
possible, but his company is prepared to walk away from KESC 
if this is not fixed.  Ismail emphasized that Abrajj does not 
have a set deadline to resolve the issue, but they are 
insistent that the GOP assume the entire debt, the amount of 
which has not yet been agreed upon. 
 
Circular Debt an Impediment 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) KESC's debt to WAPDA is part of a larger "circular 
debt" issue plaguing Pakistan's energy industry, which has 
its genesis in GOP subsidies.  Power plants acquire fuel from 
distributors at a GOP-controlled price, which may not reflect 
the actual market cost.  Since consumers are not paying full 
market rates for power, billing receipts are not sufficient 
to cover the electricity provider's actual fuel costs. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) WAPDA, which supplies or supplements many of the 
electricity providers, is not collecting enough revenue to 
pay power generation expenses.  GOP subsidies intended to 
cover the difference are often delayed, making payments to 
fuel providers chronically late.  As a result, the GOP has 
pressured many fuel providers to accept longer billing cycles 
or to cut prices, which impacts their ability to fund 
necessary imports. 
 
Frustrating Missed Opportunities 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C) Ismail is frustrated by the fact that KESC nearly 
reached a deal with the GOP on the WAPDA debt under the 
previous Musharraf administration.  The current government 
became reluctant to take on the WAPDA debt once it decided to 
accept IMF assistance, however, according to Ismael.  Abrajj 
has already provided a USD 42 million loan to KESC and the 
 
KARACHI 00000053  002 OF 003 
 
 
GOP retains a 25 percent stake in the company. 
 
No Winners if Deal Fails 
------------------------ 
 
¶7.  (C) Both Abrajj and the GOP stand to lose if the deal 
falls through. More disturbing is the possibility that the 
GOP may end up operating KESC again, after first privatizing 
the company in 2004.  (Comment:  Rashid Rabani, Advisor to 
the Chief Minister of Sindh, told Econ Officer on February 4 
that his party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), wants to 
re-nationalize KESC.  However, he was not sure if the PPP 
could get a mandate to do so.  Federal Minister for 
Privatization Naveed Qamar ruled out any possibility of 
reversing the privatization of KESC in an interview with the 
Business Recorder on February 7.  End comment.) 
 
Unfulfilled $350 Million Pledge 
------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) After Abrajj took control, Ismail became KESC's 
Managing Director and Abrajj pledged to invest USD 350 
million to upgrade the company's power generation and 
distribution system.  (Comment: Since the average age of 
KESC,s generators is 27 years old and 99 percent of their 
electricity comes from burning oil, an upgrade of KESC 
equipment is much needed.  End comment.)  Abrajj has not yet 
made the promised investment and some observers think the 
company may back out off its agreement to purchase KESC 
instead of making the $350 million investment (ref A). 
 
¶9. (C) Ismail revealed that in addition to its stated pledge 
to invest $350 million, Abrajj may invest another $450 
million and seek total capital investment in KESC of around 
$4-$5 billion.  He also said that he doesn't have confidence 
in KESC's in-house audit staff and uses Price Waterhouse 
Cooper (PWC) to conduct audits. 
 
 
Abrajj Makes Improvements, Has Plans 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶10.  (C) Ismail told Islamabad Commercial Counselor on 
February 4 that, since September, he has slashed 10,000 
positions from KESC's payroll and turned off the power at 
more than one GOP agency for non-payment, including an Army 
installation.  Abrajj plans to hire consultants from McKinsey 
and Company and is considering filing suit against former 
KESC operator Siemens for non-performance.  (Comment:  Ismail 
believes Siemens made unnecessary purchases of their own 
equipment while running KESC.  End comment.) 
 
Wanted: Energy Policy 
--------------------- 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Ismail sees a path forward for KESC but believes 
it will be painful.  He sees modernization of KESC's plants 
and switching from oil to gas or coal generators as the key 
to the company's future.  Raising electric rates or taxes 
will be difficult for the GOP.  Ismail also has a long list 
of operational problems that must be fixed.  Widespread theft 
of electricity is common, as are dishonest meter readers and 
customers who simply refuse to pay their bills, reducing 
KESC's expected monthly collections from $94 million to $80 
million.  Ismail hoped energy conservation measures could 
help lessen demand, but noted that the coming summer months 
will bring peak demand for electricity. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Ismail, whose comments to the CG mirror those he 
made during a February 4 meeting with Islamabad Commercial 
Counselor, has nearly forty years experience in the utility 
business and has built a career out of repairing troubled 
power companies throughout the world.  In Pakistan, he 
previously served as country director for AES Corporation, 
one of the largest independent power producers in the 
country.  A proponent of developing Thar coal to meet the 
country's energy needs (ref H), Ismail is an advisor and 
close confidant of Dr. Asim Hussain who heads the Ministry of 
 
KARACHI 00000053  003 OF 003 
 
 
Petroleum and Natural Resources. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Ismail faces a sizable challenge but isn't 
shrinking from it.  He proudly mentions operational 
improvements such as the addition of 120 megawatts to KESC,s 
generation since his arrival.  Ismail has proposed adding a 
few cents to each customer's monthly bill to amortize the 
WAPDA debt over a period of years, an idea the GOP has yet to 
embrace.  The withdrawal of Abrajj Capital could force the 
GOP to step in and take on financial obligations it can ill 
afford. 
 
FAKAN 
FAKAN