- The policy on the electricity issue amounts to insulting people, he says.
- The Prime Minister says the government has provided Rs 50 billion for July, August and September.
- The prime minister's comments come amid JI-led protests against high energy costs.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that reducing electricity bills is the agenda of the coalition government, stressing that it should not be politicised as protests against high energy costs continue in different parts of the country.
The prime minister, while chairing a cabinet meeting in Islamabad on Friday, said the policy on the electricity issue amounts to insulting the people.
“We do not believe in politics for politics' sake,” he added.
The prime minister's comments came amid protests led by Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) against high cost of electricity that led to closure of a major highway to Islamabad, while protests were also held in several other cities by traders.
Protesters have taken to the streets demanding the government remove taxes on energy consumption that have led to massive increases in bills, exacerbating the suffering of consumers, particularly those in the low and middle income classes.
Although the Shehbaz-led government has held talks with the protest leaders, there has been no indication as to whether their demand will be accepted.
According to JI Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman, the party is ready to continue protesting on the streets in order to stand firm against the government's decision on increasing the cost of energy.
During the last fiscal year that ended on June 30, the federal government approved a 26% increase in the cost of electricity. On July 13, the public, already bearing the brunt of rising inflation, suffered another blow after the Shehbaz administration added another 20% hike.
It is also important to note that experts, during a roundtable discussion in Karachi, did not indicate any reduction in electricity prices due to the government's decision to convert petroleum and energy products into “revenue generating sources.”
At today's cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister said that the government is aware of the tax on the salaried class.
“We have provided Rs 50 billion for July, August and September,” he said, adding that the government has reduced the unit cost of electricity by Rs 8.5 billion for industries.
He said his administration was protecting consumers who use up to 200 electric units, out of concern for the salaried class.
Prime Minister Shehbaz added that while some taxes are perfectly legitimate, it is not right to impose more taxes on taxpayers.
