The relief package provided by the Chief Minister of Punjab for domestic electricity consumers in Islamabad has been terminated due to pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The subsidy, which provided Rs14 per unit relief for domestic electricity consumers using between 201 to 500 units, has now been abolished. As a result, hundreds of thousands of domestic consumers in Islamabad who consume up to 500 units of electricity will no longer receive the Rs14 per unit subsidy in their September bills. The Chief Minister had initially extended this subsidy to Islamabad’s consumers as well, given that Punjab's electricity distribution company, ISCO, also serves the area. It is worth mentioning that after slashing electricity prices for the people of Punjab by Rs14 per unit for two months (August and September), the Punjab cabinet also approved a similar relief for the consumers of Islamabad on August 24, 2024. While chairing the 14th provincial cabinet meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said that the decision would benefit over 150,000 consumers of the federal capital.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan