Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday approved a summary to increase the basic electricity tariff by Rs7.91 in phases.
National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) had reportedly sent a summary in this regard to Shehbaz, which he approved.
According to reports, an increase of Rs3.50 per unit will be applicable from July 1 in this first phase, while the tariff will be jacked up by another Rs3.50 per unit from August. Moreover, the basic electricity tariff will be increased by 91 paisa per unit in October.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for approaching the Supreme Court after Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz announced to give free electricity to people consuming up to 100 units per month.
In a statement on Twitter, Maryam said that instead of moving the SC against the Punjab CM’s decision, the PTI should provide free electricity to the needy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) where the party was in power. She advised the PTI to work hard instead of “being jealous”.
Earlier in the day, PTI leader Chaudhry Fawad Hussain had written a letter to the apex court against the “relief package” announced by the Punjab chief minister, in which he termed the announcement about the provision of free electricity to the masses ahead of by-elections a “violation of the court orders and an attempt to gain political mileage”. Fawad claimed that the chief minister’s plan for getting Punjab out of the energy crisis was for political gain. He also mentioned that according to the court orders, Hamza Shehbaz could exercise only regulatory powers as the provincial chief minister until July 22.
