LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Punjab, President Ejaz Chaudhry has said the PML-N government has ruined the lives of poor masses with its policies in the last two years. In the upcoming budget, he said, the insensitive Sharif brothers had decided to raise power tariff by Rs2 per unit.

In a statement issued here on Friday, he said, the “muk muka group” had already decided to loot public with controversial Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) and now this Rs2 per unit increase would be more burden on the poor masses. He said the PML-N government had totally failed to provide cheap electricity despite all time low oil prices. In order to add salt to injury, he said, the government was now fleecing the public with the GIDC and higher power tariff.

“They are putting burden on the poor but their rental power plants cronies are happy with the Nawaz regime as they are getting lucrative incentives. Rental power plants are getting their due shares and do not bother to produce electricity as per the agreements,” he alleged.

Punjab PTI General-Secretary Dr Yasmin Rashid said the increase was not justified as more than 40 percent of electricity was produced from furnace oil and oil prices had been dropped by 60 percent. She said Finance Minister Ishaq Dar should know that tariff increase on utilities would add to inflation, which would have a gross negative effect on the GDP. The PML-N government should create new avenues for revenue generation rather than burdening already heavily taxed poor masses. She said the circular debt’s vicious circle had destroyed Pakistan’s entire economy and this never-ending phenomenon would keep hurting the poor.

PTI Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas said it was the responsibility of the government to ensure availability of basic necessities at economical prices. Here, the ruling elite had no understanding of the sufferings of the poor people for whom it was difficult to meet both ends. She said the proposed increase was truly shameful as poor would suffer more by paying high electricity bills.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2015

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