Former prime minister and PML-N President Nawaz Sharif on Friday announced that the Punjab government will reduce per unit electricity prices to Rs14 per unit for consumer bills for August and September.

Amid rising electricity bills, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) last week announced an increase in electricity tariffs by Rs2.56 per unit, marking the second consecutive incr­ease, as there was a Rs3.33 per unit rise for fuel adjustment in May.

The inflated bills particularly affected lifeline consumers (using 51-100 units per month) and those in the protected category (up to 200 monthly units), as they were pushed out of the monthly ceiling, resulting in higher rates than their actual consumption warranted.

Addressing a joint press conference in Lahore along with his daughter, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the former premier lauded her for masterminding the programme.

“Those who use 200 units have received relief in their bills,” Nawaz said. “Maryam tells me that the bills are higher due to the hot weather, so she has ordered a relief package to reduce customer bills in August and September. Those consuming between 0-500 units will receive a reduction of Rs14 per unit.”

The ex-premier lamented the astronomical increase in living costs compared to his last tenure in power, which ended in 2017 when he was disqualified from office. He said that power bills in his previous administration cost Rs1,600.

“On October 21, when I spoke at the Minar-i-Pakistan, I talked about electricity bills at length and compared the prices in my tenure with the ones today,” Nawaz said. “I understand people’s pain.

“I keep thinking back to 2017 because there was no inflation, we were prospering and people could make ends meet. People were able to live lives easily. It was a good time, people could get vegetables for Rs10 per kilo,” he reminisced.

He added that when the PML-N took over in 2013, Pakistan was “about to default”, claiming that his government not only “remedied this country’s problems but made it one of the fastest-progressing in the world”.

“The dollar stayed at Rs104 until I was disqualified from office,” he stated. “I was removed by some judges because I took 10,000 dirhams from my son.”

The ex-premier claimed that his ouster was a major contributor to the country’s economic decline over the last 7 years.

“They removed me when people paid Rs1,600 for bills, now they are paying Rs18,000; they can’t send their kids to school because they can’t pay the fees,” he stressed.

“Those who removed me have made the lives of the common man very difficult and harmed the nation,” Nawaz claimed, adding that it was during his tenure that he “shook hands and said goodbye to the International Monetary Fund (IMF)”.

The PML-N president added that he was the one to bid farewell to IMF loans, but Imran Khan brought them back when he took office.

“We were free of their [IMF’s] control. If had the chance to keep serving, the dollar would stay at Rs104.”

Nawaz went on to say that his government had already resolved loadshedding, and people had witnessed that firsthand.

Referring to how he worked with then-Punjab CM and current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he said, “We used to work day and night to make sure these power plants were built. We brought CPEC during my administration.”

Lamenting the power hikes, the ex-premier said, “The bills are Rs18,000 today, how can the poor afford this? Their entire salary goes into paying bills, they haven’t got enough to keep their children fed.”

He announced that the Punjab government cut spending and diverted funding from development projects to achieve this. “Well done, Maryam,” he said to his daughter. “This government has extended as much relief as it can. Rs45bn has been spent on lowering the power tariffs.”

Nawaz further announced that in the future, a solar panel scheme will be implemented to provide citizens with solar panels.

“This will give them a further reduction in their bills,” he said, elaborating the program will cost Rs700bn and target the lower-middle class.

People will receive relief and peace of mind and their spending will decrease, he said.

“I applaud the Punjab government and PM Shehbaz. Aside from Punjab, he should also get involved with other provinces to provide solar panels.”