{"id":430,"date":"2023-08-27T04:08:22","date_gmt":"2023-08-27T04:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/brewing-public-fury-at-electricity-bills-prompts-pm-to-call-emergency-meeting-tomorrow\/"},"modified":"2023-08-27T04:08:22","modified_gmt":"2023-08-27T04:08:22","slug":"brewing-public-fury-at-electricity-bills-prompts-pm-to-call-emergency-meeting-tomorrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/brewing-public-fury-at-electricity-bills-prompts-pm-to-call-emergency-meeting-tomorrow\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Brewing public fury\u2019 at electricity bills prompts PM to call emergency meeting tomorrow"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<ul>\n<li>Kakar says consultation will be held to provide maximum relief to consumers<\/li>\n<li>Power Division Secy confirms free electricity units to officers of Discos would be discontinued<\/li>\n<li>Countrywide protests continue with occurrence of some unpleasant incidents<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>ISLAMABAD\/LAHORE\/KARACHI:<\/strong> In the wake of rising despair and anger among the masses against unprecedentedly high electricity bills and extra taxes, with even threats of \u201ccivil disobedience,\u201d prompted caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar on Saturday to convene an emergency meeting to provide maximum relief to public on Sunday (today).<\/p>\n<p>Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar called the emergency meeting at the Prime Minister\u2019s House tomorrow (Sunday).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the meeting, a briefing will be taken from the ministry of power and distribution companies and consultations will be held regarding giving maximum relief to consumers regarding electricity bills,\u201d the premier said on X (formerly Twitter) Saturday.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"ur\" dir=\"rtl\">\u0628\u062c\u0644\u06cc \u06a9\u06d2 \u0628\u06be\u0627\u0631\u06cc \u0628\u0650\u0644\u0648\u06ba \u06a9\u06d2 \u0645\u0639\u0627\u0645\u0644\u06d2 \u067e\u0631 \u0645\u06cc\u06ba \u0646\u06d2 \u06a9\u0644 \u0648\u0632\u06cc\u0631 \u0627\u0639\u0638\u0645 \u06c1\u0627\u0624\u0633 \u0645\u06cc\u06ba \u06c1\u0646\u06af\u0627\u0645\u06cc \u0627\u062c\u0644\u0627\u0633 \u0637\u0644\u0628 \u06a9\u0631 \u0644\u06cc\u0627 \u06c1\u06d2\u06d4 \u0627\u062c\u0644\u0627\u0633 \u0645\u06cc\u06ba \u0648\u0632\u0627\u0631\u062a \u0628\u062c\u0644\u06cc \u0627\u0648\u0631 \u062a\u0642\u0633\u06cc\u0645 \u06a9\u0627\u0631 \u06a9\u0645\u067e\u0646\u06cc\u0648\u06ba \u0633\u06d2 \u0628\u0631\u06cc\u0641\u0646\u06af \u0644\u06cc \u062c\u0627\u0626\u06d2 \u06af\u06cc \u0627\u0648\u0631 \u0635\u0627\u0631\u0641\u06cc\u0646 \u06a9\u0648 \u0628\u062c\u0644\u06cc \u06a9\u06d2 \u0628\u0650\u0644\u0648\u06ba \u06a9\u06d2 \u062d\u0648\u0627\u0644\u06d2 \u0633\u06d2 \u0632\u06cc\u0627\u062f\u06c1 \u0633\u06d2 \u0632\u06cc\u0627\u062f\u06c1 \u0631\u06cc\u0644\u06cc\u0641 \u062f\u06cc\u0646\u06d2 \u06a9\u06d2 \u062d\u0648\u0627\u0644\u06d2 \u0633\u06d2 \u0645\u0634\u0627\u0648\u0631\u062a \u06a9\u06cc \u062c\u0627\u0626\u06d2 \u06af\u06cc\u06d4<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/anwaar_kakar\/status\/1695364847553102036?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Last month, the power regulator raised the national average tariff by around Rs5 per unit, pushing the base unit power tariff from Rs24.82 to Rs29.78. On Aug 22, the government once again sought to raise the power rate by Rs3.55 per unit.<\/p>\n<p>Earlier in the day, caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi, along with Federal Secretary of the Power Division Rashid Mahmood Langrial, held a media briefing in Islamabad to explain the current state of electricity tariffs.<\/p>\n<p>At the outset of the briefing with anchorpersons and bureau chiefs from various media outlets, the minister acknowledged the difficulties faced by the people due to the escalating electricity prices.<\/p>\n<p>He said all stakeholders within the power sector would participate in the prime minister\u2019s emergency meeting.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"ur\" dir=\"rtl\">\u0646\u06af\u0631\u0627\u0646 \u0648\u0632\u06cc\u0631\u0627\u0637\u0644\u0627\u0639\u0627\u062a \u0645\u0631\u062a\u0636\u06cc\u0670 \u0633\u0648\u0644\u0646\u06af\u06cc \u0646\u06d2 \u06a9\u06c1\u0627\u06c1\u06d2 \u06a9\u06c1 \u0628\u062c\u0644\u06cc \u06a9\u06cc \u0642\u06cc\u0645\u062a\u0648\u06ba \u0645\u06cc\u06ba \u0627\u0636\u0627\u0641\u06d2 \u06a9\u06cc \u0648\u062c\u06c1 \u0633\u06d2 \u0639\u0648\u0627\u0645\u06cc \u0645\u0634\u06a9\u0644\u0627\u062a \u06a9\u0627\u0627\u062f\u0631\u0627\u06a9 \u06c1\u06d2 \u06d4 \u0648\u0632\u06cc\u0631\u0627\u0639\u0638\u0645 \u06a9\u06cc \u0632\u06cc\u0631 \u0635\u062f\u0627\u0631\u062a \u0627\u062c\u0644\u0627\u0633 \u0645\u06cc\u06ba \u062a\u0645\u0627\u0645 \u0633\u0679\u06cc\u06a9 \u06c1\u0648\u0644\u0688\u0631\u0632 \u06a9\u0648 \u0645\u062f\u0639\u0648 \u06a9\u06cc\u0627\u06af\u06cc\u0627 \u06c1\u06d2 \u06d4 \u0627\u0646\u06c1\u0648\u06ba \u0646\u06d2 \u06cc\u06c1 \u0628\u0627\u062a \u0628\u062c\u0644\u06cc \u06a9\u06d2 \u0628\u0644\u0648\u06ba \u06a9\u06d2 \u062d\u0648\u0627\u0644\u06d2 \u0633\u06d2 \u0645\u06cc\u0688\u06cc\u0627\u0628\u0631\u06cc\u0641\u0646\u06af \u0645\u06cc\u06ba \u06a9\u06c1\u06cc \u06d4<br \/>1\/6<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/murtazasolangi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@murtazasolangi<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/UmsuKGd2Gl\">pic.twitter.com\/UmsuKGd2Gl<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/PTVNewsOfficial\/status\/1695462511284494577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Power Division secretary confirmed that the facility of free electricity units to officers of power distribution companies would be discontinued, insisting that the burden was not being transferred to regular bill-paying individuals.<\/p>\n<p>Langrial explained that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) determined electricity tariffs using three distinct methodologies, adding that the Rs5.40 per unit additional quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA) for April-June was meant for new power plants.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, he said electricity prices were subject to fluctuations based on the Consumer Price Index.<\/p>\n<p>The secretary also elaborated on the necessity of tariff alterations due to the upsurge in the Karachi Inter-Bank Offered Rate or Kibor rate \u2014 which are quoted on a daily basis by a large number of banks to indicate the cost of borrowing and lending money for tenors ranging between one week and 3 years.<\/p>\n<p>In addition to this, fuel price adjustments also impacted electricity costs, Langrial added.<\/p>\n<p>The secretary said in the fiscal year 2023, the tariff was initially set at Rs195 per dollar, but the value of the dollar surged to Rs284.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe initially aimed to set the price of RNLG (regasified liquefied natural gas which is used as fuel for electricity generation) at Rs3,183 per mmBtu, however, the actual price ranged between Rs3,000 and Rs3,800,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, the secretary said the price range for imported coal remained between Rs51,000 and Rs61,000 per metric tonne.<\/p>\n<p>He further said that Rs2 trillion would be exclusively allocated to capacity payments in the upcoming year.<\/p>\n<p>The secretary insisted that the increase in electricity tariffs predominantly affected consumers utilising more than 400 units, adding the tariff remained unchanged for 63.5 per cent of domestic consumers.<\/p>\n<p>For 31.6pc of domestic consumers, he said electricity prices saw an uptick of up to Rs6.5 per unit, and a tariff of Rs7.5 per unit was only applied to 4.9pc of domestic consumers.<\/p>\n<p>Langrial asserted that the average tariff increase for domestic consumers stood at Rs3.82.<\/p>\n<p>In July 2022, the highest recorded electricity tariff was Rs31.02 per unit, he said, adding that by August 2023, the price had increased to Rs33.89 per unit.<\/p>\n<p>The press conference was held against the backdrop of countywide protests against exorbitant electricity bills.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Rawalpindi<\/p>\n<p>In Rawalpindi, a large number of people protested at Rawalpindi\u2019s Liaquat Bagh against the high electricity bills. They held banners and placards while chanting slogans against the local electricity provider.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur bill has doubled. I don\u2019t have my bill in hand right now but this time our bill was Rs84,000. When I sent my son to get it fixed, they adjusted the bill to Rs54,000. If you are increasing this bill because the IMF asked you to do so, it is still wrong,\u201d one protester said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no notification from the government and these Wapda and all [electricity suppliers] are increasing it at their own whim,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<p>Another angry protester said: \u201cOur next move will be a strike throughout the country from Karachi to Peshawar by the traders community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He added some protesters told him that if the taxes weren\u2019t taken back, they would move towards Islamabad and start a civil disobedience campaign.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Islamabad<\/p>\n<p>A visibly annoyed resident of the capital city told DawnNewsTV that he was in no position to say anything and the government\u2019s increase in electricity taxes had rendered him \u201cspeechless\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast month my bill was Rs38,000 and after many hardships I paid it. Now it is Rs48,000. We can neither live nor die. The government has snatched all our happiness away from us,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, a day earlier, the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) wrote a letter to the chief police officer seeking police protection for its staff and property fearing adverse reactions from electricity consumers in different localities in the garrison city.<\/p>\n<p>In a letter to the CPO, the superintending engineer (SE) said that consumers were visiting different offices of Iesco in mobs and groups to protest against the increase in electricity bills. The employees of the distribution company feel insecure while performing their duties, he said in the letter. The SE termed the situation alarming which may lead to a law and order situation and protesters may damage property and installations.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Peshawar<\/p>\n<p>A cobbler identifying himself as Hameedullah said his daily earning was Rs600 but he was charged with a bill of Rs16,424. \u201cWe have three lights, four bulbs, and one fridge in the house,\u201d he said. Pointing to his inventory, he added: \u201cThis is [worth] Rs6,000. I don\u2019t have any more money.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Fearing the protests, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has directed its staff to refrain from putting non-essential and \u201cgreen number plate\u201d vehicles on the roads till the \u201cnormalisation of the law and order situation\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Lahore<\/p>\n<p>An exasperated rickshaw driver lashed out at the government saying: \u201cFirst my bill used to be Rs2000-Rs2500 and now it is Rs10,300. Where should we go to clear this?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t even earn this much. How should I pay for this? My daily wage is Rs1,000-1,200 out of which we pay Rs500 for petrol. Running a stove at home costs between Rs500-Rs600. Where should we go? This inflation has destroyed us. We just have one energy saver at home that runs throughout the day and night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Separately, activist Ammar Ali Jan announced on X that a campaign against electricity bills in Lahore would be held tomorrow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need coordinated action across the country to demand relief for salaried class and ending privileges worth $ 17.4 billion annually for the elites. If people fight back, they will win,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Karachi<\/p>\n<p>A shopkeeper in Karimabad Market explained that the main problem was that there wasn\u2019t much business these days. He added that there were new bills every day. \u201cShould we pay the bills or buy groceries for home? Our children are also very worried.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He said he was left with no choice but to protest.<\/p>\n<p>Dawn.com staffers also raised similar concerns. One staffer said his bill amounted to Rs12,000 this month. He urged the government to think differently and find a way to despite the current IMF agreement as consumers can\u2019t pay extra taxes on bills amidst exorbitant prices of necessities.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, reports of traders allegedly attacking K-Electric employees at a market in Karachi emerged. KE CEO Moonis Alvi later confirmed the same on X (formerly Twitter) and demanded that a first information report be registered against the attackers.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Quetta<\/p>\n<p>A daily wage labourer at Meezan Chowk told DawnNewsTV that these days work opportunities were \u201creally few\u201d as cement and steel had become expensive. He also posed the same question that others asked: whether he should pay his bill or fulfil the need for groceries at home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlease for the sake of God, control the inflation. I\u2019m very worried,\u201d the daily wage earner bemoaned.<\/p>\n<p>Multan<\/p>\n<p>The protests in Multan were emotionally charged. Protesters tied their electricity bills to donkeys as they marched towards the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) while chanting slogans against the government.<\/p>\n<p>K-Electric responds<\/p>\n<p>In an audio message broadcast on television, KE spokesperson Awais Rasheed Munshi could be heard saying: \u201cWe understand that many conversations and arguments are taking place between people throughout the country regarding the rising electricity prices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople might be getting angry while being worried. Pakistan\u2019s electricity system works in a regulated environment. This falls under Nepra and power ministry. K-Electric\u2019s work is related to performance, profit, and loss.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen the prices of electricity rise, the company doesn\u2019t make any profit. K-Electric and no other distribution company have any part to play in the rising prices and taxes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Sheer cruelty\u2019<\/p>\n<p>On Friday, people from all walks of life took to the streets in Karachi, Gujranwala, Peshawar, Toba Tek Singh and other areas against exorbitant power bills. They blocked roads, set fire to power bills and announced they would challenge the \u201cinjustice\u201d by the public utility in the court of law.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to DawnNewsTV today, one person deemed the taxes imposed by the government as \u201csheer cruelty\u201d, adding that he would be old by the time he paid off his entire electricity bill.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe bills are so high that we are unable to pay the school fees of children,\u201d he said. \u201cIf a person is living in a rented house, he has to decide either to pay the rent or the electricity bills.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, former parliamentarian Nafisa Shah called the electricity bills \u201cbackbreaking\u201d and \u201cunacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy should the people of Pakistan suffer for the poor policies of rulers? Even now the lesson has not been learnt as Pakistan is going for expensive nuclear energy when cheaper options, solar, hydel, wind and local coal, are available,\u201d she said on X.<\/p>\n<p>Situation<\/p>\n<p>The rising electricity costs appeared to have put the power companies in a vicious cycle of declining consumption and shifting resultant additional capacity charges to consumers, compelling the government to seek the staggered imposition of Rs146 billion quarterly charges in six months, instead of three months to minimise the \u2018price shock\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>The situation emerged at a public hearing organised by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on the government request for Rs5.40 per unit additional quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA) to consumers for April-June 2023 when the Power Division made a departure from its petitions. It requested that consumers be charged at a rate of Rs3.55 per unit for six months, instead of Rs5.40 per unit for three months, to reduce the price shock on consumers still struggling to absorb 26pc increase in base national rates notified last month.<\/p>\n<p>Also, the Power Division proposed that even the Rs3.55 per unit additional charge should be imposed after September when an existing quarterly adjustment of Rs1.24 per unit would lapse, thereby further reducing the cost increase. The net increase in tariff for six months \u2014 October 2023 to March 2024 \u2014 would thus stand at Rs2.31 per unit, a Power Division official pleaded before the regulator.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kakar says consultation will be held to provide maximum relief to consumers Power Division Secy confirms free electricity units to officers of Discos would be discontinued Countrywide protests continue with occurrence of some unpleasant incidents ISLAMABAD\/LAHORE\/KARACHI: In the wake of rising despair and anger among the masses against unprecedentedly high electricity bills and extra taxes, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.pakistantoday.com.pk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/PM-calls-emergency-meeting-protests.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=430"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/430\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/431"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=430"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=430"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=430"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}