PM’s Emergency Meeting on Electricity Bills Ends With Promise of Quick Relief

As countrywide protests against electricity prices entered the third day, the emergency meeting chaired by Interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Sunday ended with a promise to provide quick and maximum possible relief.

In a post on X after the meeting, the interim prime minister said the Power Division and the Finance Division have been directed to formulate a strategy to provide relief to the public.

آج منعقدہ اجلاس میں پاور ڈویژن نے بریفنگ دی، مخلتف وفاقی وزراءسمیت سیکٹریز نے شرکت کی۔ اجلاس میں عوام کو بجلی کے بلوں میں ریلیف دینے کے لئے وزارت توانائی اور وزارت خزانہ کو مل کر لائحہ عمل بنانے کی ذمہ داری دی گئی ہے۔ مختلف سرکاری ملازمین کو مفت یونٹس کے معاملہ پر بھی تفصیلی… https://t.co/soXBVtLScK

— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) August 27, 2023

The interim prime minister said that he has also asked for a detailed report on free electricity being provided to government employees. He added that urgent measures would be taken to reduce the use of electricity in government offices.

A separate detailed press release issued by the government said that the interim prime minister has asked to devise a concrete plan to provide relief to the public in electricity bills within the next 48 hours.

پریس رلیز
نگران وزیراعظم انوار الحق کاکڑ کی زیر صدارت بجلی کے بِلوں میں اضافے پر ہنگامی اجلاس کا پہلا دور*

*اجلاس میں وزیرِ اعظم کو جولائی کے بجلی کے بلوں میں اضافے پر تفصیلی بریفنگ دی گئی.*

*آئندہ 48 گھنٹوں میں بجلی کے زائد بلوں میں کمی کیلئے ٹھوس اقدامات مرتب کرکے پیش کئے…

— Murtaza Solangi (@murtazasolangi) August 27, 2023

Kakar said that the government would take measures that would provide relief to the public without putting any additional burden on the national kitty, the press release said.

The premier would hold a meeting with provincial chief ministers to discuss the implementation of electricity-saving measures and the issue of inflated bills for the month of July.

Moreover, the prime minister directed distribution companies to present a roadmap against electricity theft and also directed to present a plan for short, medium, and long-term reforms in the power sector.