ISLAMABAD: Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Pakistan’s interim Prime Minister, chaired an emergency meeting on Sunday to address the rising public outrage concerning inflated electricity rates and consumer bills. The meeting was prompted by widespread protests across the country, as citizens expressed discontent over exorbitant power bills attributed to a significant increase in the national average tariff.
Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi reported that the extensive meeting took place at the PM’s Office in Islamabad and extended for over two hours. A press release detailing the outcomes of the meeting is expected to be issued shortly.
وزیرِ اعظم کی صدارت میں بجلی کے امور سے متعلق دو گھنٹے سے زائد دورانیے کا اجلاس کچھ دیر پہلے ختم ہوا ہے۔
تفصیلات کیلیے پریس رلیز آیا چاہتا ہے۔
انتظار فرمائیے۔— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) August 27, 2023
Demonstrations had erupted in various cities across Pakistan due to the sharp rise in electricity bills, prompting Prime Minister Kakar to convene the urgent meeting. During the session, he received comprehensive briefings from the power division and power distribution companies (Discos) to seek measures for offering “maximum relief to consumers.”
بجلی کے بھاری بِلوں کے معاملے پر میں نے کل وزیر اعظم ہاؤس میں ہنگامی اجلاس طلب کر لیا ہے۔ اجلاس میں وزارت بجلی اور تقسیم کار کمپنیوں سے بریفنگ لی جائے گی اور صارفین کو بجلی کے بِلوں کے حوالے سے زیادہ سے زیادہ ریلیف دینے کے حوالے سے مشاورت کی جائے گی۔
— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) August 26, 2023
Govt Plans to Withdraw Subsidized Electricity to Discos
Meanwhile, the government has outlined a plan to withdraw subsidized electricity provided to Discos and government officials in grade 17 and above.
Caretaker Information Minister Murtaza Solangi confirmed that the practice of granting free electricity units to Discos officers would be ceased. A proposal to eliminate the provision of free electricity to officers in grade 17 and above will be presented in the upcoming cabinet meeting.
It was highlighted that the tariff hike disproportionately affected consumers using more than 400 units per month, while the tariff remained unchanged for 63.5 percent of domestic consumers.
Apart from Islamabad, protests were reported in several other cities, including Multan, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar, where citizens expressed their discontent over exorbitant electricity bills.
Keywords: Pakistan, Prime Minister, Electricity, Bills, Consumers, Anwaarul Haq Kakar, Discos, Government, Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore, Multan, Karachi, Information Minister,
