October 11, 2008	Saturday	Shawwal 11, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 10: Condemning a drastic increase in power rates, former MNAs and MPAs of the Jamaat-i-Islami have warned that the abnormal increase may cause up to 200 per cent surge in the production cost of essential commodities, adding to miseries of common man.

Demanding immediate withdrawal of the new electricity tariffs, Muzaffar Ahmad Hashmi, Laeeq Ahmad Khan, Nasrullah Shaji, Hameedullah Khan and Yunus Barai criticised the performance of KESC and said instead of ridding of the line losses, power thefts and load-shedding the privatised management of the utility was playing havoc with the life of the poor masses.

They regretted that the KESC management were not taking corrective measures to address the situation. Unannounced load-shedding was affecting the performance of hospitals and educational institutions while economic activity was also suffering. In this situation, the sudden rise in tariff could result in closure of factories adding to the growing unemployment.

They said that rising inflation had already deprived people of essential commodities and the government had failed to stabilise the prices, leaving them at the mercy of hoarders and profiteers.

Former minister Irfanullah Khan Marwat also described the power rates increase as ‘a mountain of soaring prices’ fallen on people. He said power rates were earlier increased by 30 per cent and now by 70 per cent, leaving people hand to mouth. He warned that if the government continued to pursue such policies, people would soon take to streets.