KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami has rejected the multi-year tariff (MYT) approved by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) for K-Electric, describing it as an anti-people decision that lacks transparency, legal norms, and public interest.

In a statement, JI-Karachi chief Monem Zafar said Nepra had ignored review petitions submitted by the JI, the federal government, and other stakeholders, and instead proceeded to approve what he termed as a “lucrative and illegal tariff model” for K-Electric on the pattern of the framework used for independent power producers (IPPs).

He criticised the authority for allowing KE to receive profits in US dollars, despite the utility being a locally owned private company with no new foreign investment in recent years.

He pointed out that Nepra had approved a Rs6.15 per unit increase in the base tariff, raising it to Rs39.97, which he said would place an unbearable burden on the people of Karachi already grappling with record inflation, prolonged loadshedding, and poor service delivery by the KE.

He noted that KE’s recovery rate had declined to 91.5 per cent and is projected to fall further, whereas Nepra bestowed the KE with another favour that the private company would be charging the consumers against line losses, effectively rewarding inefficiency.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2025