The All-Pakistan Traders Association has announced a nationwide protest against the increase in electricity bills, set for July 1, and warned the federal government to abolish additional taxes by June 30 or face further actions.
At a joint news conference on Friday in Islamabad, Ajmal Baloch, President of the All Pakistan dealers Association, and other dealers announced this. He said, “The government has committed an injustice regarding electricity bills, and we are declaring a nationwide protest starting from July 1.”
Baloch called attention to the billing disparity, stating, “A statement for 200 units is not the same as one with higher consumption. The Independent Power Producers (IPPs), owned by government elites, are being paid in dollars.”
He pointed out that although 48,000 megawatts of payments are being given to IPPs, only about 20,000 megawatts are actually needed.
Baloch made an appeal to both the public and traders, saying, “On July 1, traders nationwide should demonstrate, and the public should join us.” Every level and every street will witness protests.”
He threatened to reveal the dealers’ next line of action on July 1 unless the government eliminated the tariffs, fixed levies, and slabs contained in the electricity bills by June 30 (Sunday). “The IPP contracts, which burden the budget by Rs2,500 billion, should be reviewed,” he stated.
Baloch also brought up the burden that the public bears from WAPDA personnel receiving free electricity.
Tariq Jadoon, vice president of the Central Traders Association Rawalpindi, and Sheikh Hafeez, president of Rawalpindi Cantonment, asserted that WAPDA had installed faster meters, which are 30% faster based on the NEPRA report.
Khalid Chaudhry, Secretary of the Traders Action Committee Islamabad and Advisor to the President ICCI, called on the government to take notice of these faster meters, as NEPRA’s website reports that distribution companies are exploiting the public by installing these meters.
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