The Caretaker government has ‘prepared’ a relief plan for the electricity consumers after countrywide protests against inflated bills, sources said on Thursday. From Karachi to Khyber, people belonging to various walks of life are protesting against soaring electricity bills. Sources having knowledge of the development said Pakistan has shared the plan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in writing seeking Rs250 billion relief in electricity bills. The plan has been prepared by keeping the consumers who use up to 400 electricity units, monthly, the sources said. Pakistan in its recommendations has suggested taking back the recent hike of Rs7 per unit in the basic tariff of electricity and doing the same phase-wise, later. Furthermore, Pakistan has also sought the IMF’s nod to give installment facilities to electricity consumers.

The Finance Ministry will give a guarantee to the international lender in writing for the collection of August and September’s bills in installments, the sources said. Earlier on Wednesday, Caretaker Finance Minister Dr. Shamshad Akhtar ruled out room for additional subsidies within the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreements. Talking to journalists in Islamabad, the finance minister conveyed the government’s sensitivity toward the welfare of the country’s poor, saying that they would prevent any exacerbation of hardships faced by the vulnerable.

 
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)