Former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr Shahid Rasheed Butt, said on Sunday that the new increase in the price of electricity is condemnable. The public and businesses already reeling under unprecedented inflation and other problems cannot afford the new price of electricity, he said. He added that the decision to revise the power tariff would open floodgates for inflation in the country, because of which poverty and unemployment would increase.

Shahid Rasheed Butt said in a statement issued here today that instead of making electricity more expensive, theft should be controlled, private power plants should not be given massive profits, and the facility of free electricity should be withdrawn from the privileged classes.

The business leader said that the per unit price of electricity had been increased by 4 and 96 paise, burdening the public with billions of rupees. Now people will get per unit electricity for more than 50 rupees, which will further increase their problems, he observed.

According to NEPRA, the reasons for increasing the price of electricity include rupee depreciation, inflation, heavy interest rates, interest payments on loans, and payments to IPPs. Still, these government agencies have never been concerned about power theft worth billions of rupees per day or providing free electricity to privileged people.

He noted that the IMF has never asked to increase electricity rates but has always said that electricity should not be sold at a loss so that the circular debt does not increase.

Government officers and officials are responsible for the losses in the electricity sector and not the public; therefore, they should be made to pay for it.

He said that people are already braving the high price of flour, sugar, pulses, vegetables, fruits, ghee, eggs, milk, and other essential items, and the burden on them is being increased by continuously increasing the electricity and gas tariffs, which is sad.

He said that the government is preparing to increase the gas price after electricity, increasing the burden on the public. In these circumstances, the rulers try to appease the people by threatening a crackdown on hoarders, but this roar does not affect the profiteers and smugglers.