Pakistan: Traders to hold protest against increase in electricity bills on July 1

Islamabad [Pakistan], June 29 : The All Pakistan Traders Association has announced that they will hold a protest across the nation against the rise in electricity bills on July 1, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported. They warned the federal government to scrap additional taxes by June 30 or face further actions.
All Pakistan Traders Association President Ajmal Baloch and other traders made this announcement during a joint press conference in Islamabad on Friday.
Ajmal Baloch said, "The government has committed an injustice regarding electricity bills, and we are declaring a nationwide protest starting from July 1," according to The Express Tribune report.
Highlighting the discrepancy in electricity bills, he said, "A bill for 200 units is different from that of higher usage. The Independent Power Producers (IPPs), owned by government elites, are being paid in dollars."
Ajmal Baloch stated that payments are being made for 48,000 megawatts to IPPs. However, the actual need is around 20,000 megawatts. He urged the traders and people to join the protest on July 1.
Baloch said, "On July 1, traders across the country should protest, and the public should join us. There will be protests on every level and every street."
He warned the government to abolish the taxes, fixed taxes and slabs included in the electricity bills by June 30 or else the traders will announce their next course of action on July 1, The Express Tribune reported.
He further said, "The IPP contracts, which burden the budget by Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 2,500 billion, should be reviewed." He said that the burden of free electricity being given to WAPDA employees is being put on people.
Central Traders Association Rawalpindi Vice President Tariq Jadoon and Rawalpindi Cantonment President Sheikh Hafeez said that WAPDA has installed faster meters which as per the NEPRA's report are 30 per cent faster, as per The Express Tribune report.
Khalid Chaudhry, Secretary of the Traders Action Committee Islamabad and Advisor to the President ICCI, urged the government to take notice of these faster meters as NEPRA's website mentioned that distribution firms are exploiting the public by installing these meters.
Earlier this month, people of Lahore said that they have been suffering severe load shedding amid the scorching heat. The residents in Lahore have repeatedly complained that they have to face power cuts generally lasting over 12 hours in a day, despite paying huge bills sent by the electricity departments month after month.
Akmal, a vegetable seller in Lahore, said that severe power cuts have made the lives of Lahore residents worse. He said that the government has failed to fulfil the promises made before coming to power. He stated that inflation has increased approximately three times within months and the government remains unresponsive.
He said, "The government has now failed us. The promises that they had made before coming to power, are now of no worth, as they don't intend to keep their word. The people of Lahore are suffering, and this is when we have paid our bills on time."
"I have personally seen the prices of electricity rise from PKR 20 per unit to PKR 65 per unit, and the leaders remain silent. The inflation has risen approximately three times within months and they remain unresponsive. Small businessmen like me are the most affected, there is no business left for us small business owners," he added.
Mauhaumad Asif, another daily wage worker from Lahore, called the electricity bills the biggest problem for people. He said that he consumes about 200 to 300 units per month. However, he pays about Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 10,000. He claimed that the electricity bill they receive is higher than the units of electricity they consume.
Asif said, "We have been living in problematic conditions. The bills of electricity are the biggest problem, I use about 200 to 300 units per month, but the bills I pay about PKR 10000 per month. And when we raise these issues to the authorities, they sometimes clearly say that the matter does not concern them."
He further said, "It is the biggest problem in our lives these days. No matter what our usage of electricity is, the bills that we have to pay are higher each time. And I could have deserved these high bills if my family owned an AC but I only have a single fan and that cannot use this much electricity. How will the people survive in this situation?"