Increasing electricity rates is a great injustice with people: Ch Zaheer uddin

Lahore: Pakistan Muslim League (PML) Punjab General Secretary and former opposition leader in the Provincial Assembly Ch Zaheeruddin Khan has said that increasing electricity rates on IMF demand is great injustice with the people, recent increase in power rates as surcharge is negation of the verdict of the Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict in which surcharges on electricity bills were declared illegal.

He said that the govt should end subsidy drama on power rates and reduce the electricity prices according to real cost of production. He said according to WAPDA spokesman 132, 642 million units of power was added to the national grid on May 31, 2015 from WAPDA run hydel power stations which were 28. 472 millions more as compared to the last year.

Ch Zaheeruddin Khan said that according to facts and figures given in WAPDA reports, hydel power production cost per unit is Rs 2. 62, as such the govt should end subsidy drama and reduce electricity prices accordingly in order to pass on the relief on account of less cost to the people.

He said that for ending energy crisis and getting cheaper electricity, construction of Kalabagh dam should immediately be announced as production cost of electricity from all other sources will be much more which will neither be in the interest of the people nor of the industrialists.

He demanded that the govt should forthwith withdraw increase of Rs 3 as surcharge and reduction of Rs 2. 50 as subsidy and fix electricity prices in a realistic manner so that the people can have sigh of relief and comfort.