The All Pakistan Traders Association announced nationwide protests against the hike in electricity tariffs on July 1. At a joint press conference in Islamabad on Friday, President Ajmal Baloch and other traders demanded the federal government to remove the additional tax by June 30 or face further action.
“The government is committing injustice in electricity tariffs and we will declare nationwide protests from July 1,” said Ajmal Baloch. Highlighting the disparity in electricity tariffs, he pointed out, “There is a difference between the bill for 200 units and the bill for usage above that. Independent power producers (IPPs) owned by the government elite are being paid in dollars.”
He explained that the payment to the IPPs is for 48,000 megawatts, but the actual requirement is about 20,000 megawatts. Baloch called on traders and the public to join the protests, saying, “On July 1, traders across the country will protest and the public should join too. There will be protests at all levels, on every street.”
Baloch warned the government to scrap taxes, levies and slabs in electricity tariffs by June 30, else the operator would announce its next course of action on July 1. He also demanded a review of the IPP contracts, which he said were costing the Pakistani Rupee (PKR) budget 2.5 trillion, and criticised the practice of providing free electricity to WAPDA employees at public expense.
Rawalpindi Central Traders Association Vice-President Tariq Jadoon and Rawalpindi Garrison Chief Sheikh Hafeez alleged that WAPDA had installed high-speed meters, which, according to a NEPRA report, are 30 percent faster. Islamabad Traders Action Committee Secretary Khalid Chaudhri urged the government to take action against these high-speed meters, saying that electricity distribution companies were using them to exploit the people.
Earlier this month, residents of Lahore reported severe power outages amid scorching heat, with some without electricity for more than 12 hours despite high electricity prices. Akmal, a vegetable seller in Lahore, lamented the government’s failure to deliver on its promises and highlighted how inflation has tripled in recent months.
“The government has now let us down. The promises it made before coming to power are now worthless. The people of Lahore are suffering despite paying their bills on time,” he said. Akmal added that electricity tariffs have increased from PKR 20 to PKR 65 per unit, severely affecting small and medium businesses.
Mauhomed Asif, a daily wage labourer from Lahore, said electricity bills are the biggest problem for people. He reported that he consumes 200-300 units a month but pays around 10,000 Pakistani rupees. Asif pointed out that the electricity bill is higher than the actual usage, adding, “This is the biggest problem in our life these days. Irrespective of how much electricity we use, the bill is higher every time. If my family had an air conditioner, it would be okay to be charged such high bills, but I only have one electric fan. How will people survive in such a situation?”
