RAIWIND: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Wednesday that the government’s hands were tied and it was forced to increase electricity prices, DawnNews reported.

Addressing party workers at his residence in Raiwind, the premier said the government would reduce the electricity tariff after completion of new power projects.

Last week, the Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) federal government had notified a massive increase of over 70 per cent in power tariff to be effective from November 1.

A tariff revision was made through the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on directives issued by the Supreme Court earlier this month.

Sharif said that the government had launched an operation against power theft to overcome the electricity shortage.

He said the energy crisis had become a major challenge which badly affected the economy adding that the government was fully committed to overcome it during its five years constitutional term.

Speaking about an ongoing operation to restore law and order in Sindh’s provincial capital Karachi, the premier said the government was not under any political pressure to conduct targeted operations.

He said citizens of Karachi were satisfied with steps taken by the government to rid the city of criminal elements and extortionists.

He moreover said that the PML-N government had assumed charge over the nation in difficult times, adding that it wanted lasting solutions to the problems faced by the country.

The premier said the government would undertake tough decisions to enforce law and order in the country.

“We are going to take bold decisions for the sake of restoring peace and maintaining law and order in Karachi and everywhere in the country,” he said.

The prime minister appreciated the performance of law enforcement agencies in Karachi which, he said, had decreased to some extent crimes like kidnapping for ransom, targeted killings and extortion.

Sharif said the government had taken all political parties on board for preparing a common agenda to eradicate terrorism from Pakistan. He said the dialogue process was adopted to restore peace and hoped that the efforts of talks would be successful.

“By the grace of Allah Almighty, we are determined to make a bright future of Pakistan through hard work to come to the expectations and aspirations of the people” he said.