Pakistan is undergoing numerous serious economic challenges out of which power crisis is a root to several other problems. Since the coalition government took charge, it has enormously increased electricity charges by imposing several taxes and fuel price adjustment recently which has forced the public to protest.
Read more: Widespread protests against skyrocketing electricity bills
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has allowed Rs11.10 per unit increase in electricity prices for the consumers of K-Electric (KE) on account of fuel cost adjustment for June 2022. In a statement, Nepra said that KE would collect the increase in electricity tariffs from the consumers in two months.
Former Minister for Planning and Development highlighted the price Karachi has paid for the change in regime.
He raised the point on his Twitter account saying that during Imran Khan’s government, in the month of June 2021 when demand for electricity was at its maximum at 3530 megawatts, supply stood at 3424 mw and created a gap of only 106 mw. While, in June 2022, demand reached its maximum to 3646 mw with “imported PM”. However, supply stood at 512 mw and gap was widened to 512 mw.
Asad Umar expressed his views for Karachi by saying, “Karachi stabbed in the back and its mandate stolen.”
Price karachi has paid for regime change : peak electricity demand in june 2021 with PMIK 3530 mw. Peak supply 3424 mw. Gap 0nly 106mw.Peak demand in june 2022 with imported PM 3646. Peak supply 3154. Gap 512 mw!!! Karachi stabbed in the back and its mandate stolen.
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) August 29, 2022
Moreover, Pakistan has suffered from increased cost of electricity generation this year as compared to the last year. The total cost of generating electricity in the country jumped 160.4 percent, hitting Rs14.72 KWh in June 2022 compared to Rs5.65 kWh in June last year.
As far as price paid by Karachi is concerned, power outages piled up misery in the city in scorching heat as the main power provider of the city failed to meet its electricity consumption needs.
However, current government is blaming the PTI government for power crisis as well. Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh held the PTI’s former federal government solely responsible for the ongoing power crisis across the country, including Karachi and rural parts of the Sindh. He considered the previous government’s policies as “wrong.”
Unfortunately, the general public is suffering at the hands of politicians who prefer to blame rather than come up with effective solutions. Not only Karachi but a major segment of the country’s population, including middle income earners, is striving to meet survival needs with their meagre incomes and inflated prices.