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FAISALABAD, July 19: The business community, politicians and people belonging to various strata of society on Friday decried electricity tariff raise, terming it inimical to all sectors of the national economy.
Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mian Naeemur Rehman gave his vent to discontent over the Nepra’s decision.
He described the 44 paisa per unit raise in power tariff as a government step of ruining the industrial sector. At least 10 million domestic consumers, who were already under financial crunch, would have to bear most of the brunt, he said.
The industrial sector had already been facing innumerable problems due to heavy taxation and escalating tariffs of gas, phone and other utilities and now 36 paisa increase in power tariff would force a good number of industrialists to close down their business, he added.
Anjuman Tajiran president Muhammad Nawaz Vohra said the decision of Nepra about increasing domestic, industrial and commercial power tariffs was against the interest of the country’s business sector.
He said there was no justification for this increase keeping in view the government’s claim of receiving huge donations and financial assistance from big powers during the last one year.
Punjab PPP secretary-general Aftab Ahmed Khan also castigated the power tariff increase and claimed that the entire government machinery was playing in the hands of international donor agencies.
The Musharraf government, he said, had failed on all fronts including resolving the problems of masses and providing incentives to the trading community. The recent increase in power tariff would cripple the business community especially owners of industrial units.
Punjab PML-N secretary-general Chaudhry Safdar Rehman said the 44 paisa per unit increase in power tariff was a proof that present rulers were bent upon to crush the poor and economy of the country just to complete the agenda of international forces.
Rulers had no programme in resolving the people problems and all plans were being evolved by the foreign financial managers which was a stigma on the face of Pakistani nation, he added.
Office-bearers of the All Pakistan Sizing Owners Association, Tariq Bashir Ghauri and Shahbaz Kissana, said scores of textile ancillary units had already been shut due to high cost of electricity and other utilities.
They asked Gen Pervez Musharraf to take stock of the situation and direct Nepra chairman and Wapda authorities to withdraw the increase in power tariff.
GUJRANWALA: Farmers, traders and people from various walk of life strongly condemned Nepra for allowing Wapda increase power tariff.
A traders’ meeting held here urged the government to give subsidy on power otherwise common man would be forced to come on roads in protest. They urged the government not to follow the agenda of world donor bodies like the IMF and the World Bank.
They said with the present increase in tariff, the industrial sector would suffer the most. They feared closure of more industrial units thus further increasing unemployment. It would become impossible for exporters to compete in the international market as their production cost would increase manifolds, they added.
They said the poor man who could not feed his family properly would be forced to stop using electricity. The lower middle class families would also feel it difficult to use electrical gadgets like refrigerators, washing machines, fans, television, etc.
They were of the view that the tariff raise would increase electricity theft. People would try to reduce use of electricity and many would not be able to pay bills as a result of which Wapda’s income would come down instead of increasing.
They termed the exemption granted to the consumers using below 50 units a month from the new tariff a sick joke as, according to them, if a consumer used a tubelight only he would consume more than 50 units. They urged the government to cut expenditures of the authority instead of increasing tariff every now and then.
