Minister for Power, Petroleum and Natural Resources Omar Ayub has announced a raise of Rs1.95 per unit in the cost of electricity, adding that the new rates will be implemented after an official notification by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with the Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar and the Special Assistant on Power Tabish Gohar, he held the PNL-N government responsible for the hike in electricity price.
Omar Ayub said due to the policies of the former government, the increase would have been Rs9 a unit, but the PTI government increased by only Rs1.95 per unit.
He said that the flawed policies of the previous government have forced the industrial sector to pay whether they used electricity or not.
He called the policies of the previous government “landmines” laid for the PTI government. However, the PTI government decided not to burden masses, he added.
Omar Ayub said the PTI government has paid Rs473 billion in subsidies during the ongoing financial crisis.
He said that due to the agreements of the PML-N government with the power sector, the increase in electricity tariff was Rs2.18 per unit.
He, however, claimed that due to the initiatives of the present government, the electricity tariff would be cut by Re1 to Rs2 per unit.
Tabish Gohar: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Power Tabish Gohar said that the government signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with 53 independent power producers (IPPs).
He announced that the supply of gas to industries related to power generation will be suspended.
He expressed the hope that electricity tariff will be reduced by Rs3 to Rs4 in the next few years.
Asad Umar: Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar said that economy is progressing and exports are rapidly increasing because of the PTI government’s policies.
He claimed that exports volume was increasing, saying in December 2020 exports were more as compared to December 2019.
He said due to hike in industrial production, electricity consumption has increased by 8 percent.
