EVERY month, millions of Pakistani households receive their electricity bills with growing anxiety and confusion. Despite paying on time, they are left questioning what exactly they are being charged for. Taxes, duties, fuel adjustments, finance costs, TV fee, meter rent, and so on make each bill read like a cryptic code, leaving ordinary consumers in the dark.

There are several pressing questions that demand clarity. Which tax is applied to the electricity already paid for? What fuel adjustments or surcharges are included, and why? Why are TV fees charged separately when cable is already paid for? How are quarterly or prior-month adjustments calculated? Why are additional charges imposed despite timely payments? If consumers own their meters, why are they being charged the rental?

Opaque billing practices are not just confusing, they are unfair. They punish regular, responsible consumers, while letting the utility providers move ahead without accountability. This is not merely an administrative issue; it is a question of justice for citizens who trust the system and pay honestly.

The relevant authorities should ensure complete transparency in electricity billing. Clear, understandable bills with detailed explanations of taxes, duties and surcharges are essential, not as a courtesy, but as the right of every consumer.

Only after introducing such bills can we restore trust in our utilities and safeguard the interests of all ordinary households.

M. Shaban Uppal
Lahore

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2026