Electricity Tariff raised by 31%
By Farid Masood • Sep 2nd, 2008 • Category: Misc • 6 CommentsNo instance in the world like we have, the tariff raised for a utility item, which is almost not available in Pakistan. The shortage of electricity has become the biggest problem for citizens of Pakistan. As the span and duration of its unavailability is increasing it is increasing different diseases in its consumers like high blood pressure etc.
This hot weather in Pakistan and especially this humid weather for last 6 weeks is unbearable with out a fan at-least. But load-shedding (power sharing) has been scheduled for almost 16 hours per day. Means electric power missing 2/3 time of a day. Really we are living in stone-age.
Our beloved Prime Minister, Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani told the nation that electric tariff has been increased on the demand of International Monitory Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). Suggestion for increase in tariff was around 60% but government has reduced it to 31%. When we can tell the nation that tariff was increase on the demand of IMF and World Bank then why we cant tell the nation that why they had asked us to increase tariff of electricity. We every time announce that there is a short fall of electricity by so and so Megawatts, but we don’t tell the nation that Pakistan State Oil (PSO)
is not providing fuel to government due to over draft and many power producers are either stopped their production of electricity or reduced their capacity utilization. Until the free of cost oil begged from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) reaches Pakistan, we cannot produce electricity.
Therefore, the raise in tariff should be taken back and prices of electrical unit (KWH) must be fixed to previous rates and tariff must not be revised until government is able to provide smooth electricity to its consumer.
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Farid the theme behind “we will throw you in stone age” is in run.
This is a reversion of present in to the past.
No electric, no petrol, no gas, price hikes, no vehicle, as such even if it’s available no buying capacity.
There is no time and means now to hold the circadian cycle.
Things have entered the stage of irreversible phenomenon.
Very soon a due stage is likely to be observed when, dictations would be delivered and we will draft it as per desire.
There is no way out but, a miracle, which is very unlikely as we have reached the level of disobedience that ,can not be given clemency ,though we expect ,being merciful almighty.
Frankly speaking I see no, fate and future, though can pray the lord to take decisions under his check and monitoring, for the sake of, one single act which we have carried out ever in life, if our lord regards that act as act of obedience.
Farid Saheb, a very noteworthy article.
Mr Qaiser you are very welcome, please keep visiting I personally missing you on TPS, alognwith Ramta Jogi, Jessica and Respected Rahim Shah Sahib.
regards
Farid,
nice work indeed. Yes we are back to past… because our rulers saw movie Back to Future… As they can not go back to future so they decided that Lets go back to Past
Agay daikho, hota hai kia…!
This nation can still afford this burden because we can not come out of homes. We can condemn but while sitting in front of GEO
A PETITION was moved on Tuesday before the Lahore High Court challenging the 31 per cent increase in electricity tariff, requesting to declare the increase against the fundamental rights of citizens provided by the Constitution.
Advocate Malik Tariq Aziz in his petition stated that according to economic experts, the utility bills of a family goes beyond 20 per cent of the income. He said this upsets the economic equilibrium of the family hence upsetting the whole family.
On one hand public being were being burdened with 30 per cent hike in the electricity charges and on the other hand, WAPDA was supplying free electricity worth millions of rupees to its serving and retired employees, he said.
He said the Federation exempted wealth tax on Rs 200 billion per annum income for big guns and on the other hand, the public was being crushed under the utility bills.
He said the state was spending Rs 150 million per annum as salaries and benefits and privileges for the legislators who were already big tycoons. He added that 50 per cent people of Pakistan were living below the poverty line.
This increase of 31 per cent would badly affect the life, which was the fundamental right under article 9 of Constitution, he added. He said that the salaried class would be the worse sufferers of this.
He said the Supreme Court in one of its judgment held that life was a right not only to sustain but to enjoy too.
By this increase, the public at large would be unable to sustain the life, he added.
He prayed to issue directions for stoppage of this increase. He further prayed that benefits and privileges, which were being given to the legislators be stopped so that funds could be generated for the national exchequer. Justice Hamid Ali Shah would hear this petition on Wednesday.
The more expensive electricity become - it will discourage its use. The law of diminishing returns. The government will continue raising the price of electricity till such point that no one will be able to pay for it, when no one will use electricity how will the government make any money out of it. When will anyone learn raising taxes does not increase the income of the government it brings it crashing down.