Up to 500 units: Nawaz says Punjab govt to reduce province’s power tariff by Rs14 per unit for Aug-Sept

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president and former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif announced on Friday that the Punjab government was going to reduce electricity tariff by Rs14 per unit for users utilising less than 500 units a month for August and September.

He made these remarks while addressing the media alongside Punjab Chief Minister and his daughter Maryam Nawaz in Lahore.

Nawaz rued rising electricity tariffs and skyrocketing inflation, saying it was the Imran Khan-led PTI government that made faulty agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that led to this situation.

The PML-N president said he was aware of people’s suffering, and therefore, directed the Punjab government to make efforts to reduce inflationary pressure.

Nawaz said Maryam Nawaz had been working tirelessly to provide relief to the masses for which she deserved applause.

“Days after swearing in, Maryam reduced flour prices, which brought down the prices of Roti in the province. […] Now, she has cut her government expenses to provide a massive relief in power bills to the public.”

The former premier also announced a package of Rs700 billion to provide free solar panels to deserving families in the province.

At the outset of his press talks, the PML-N supremo criticised the PTI government for pushing the country into the ditch of inflation and unemployment after his ouster.

“My government was toppled without any reason. We, ourselves, dragged our country to the quagmire. If the development and policy of our era had continued, the country’s economy would not have been in this condition today,” he said.

Last month, PM Shehbaz had announced a Rs50-billion energy subsidy package for low-income households consuming less than 200 units of electricity.

Addressing a press conference, Federal Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik said 86 percent of households consumed less than 200 units of electricity.

“Therefore, the prime minister retained last year’s power tariff for these households,” he added.

On July 31, PM Shehbaz had also ordered a 10-day extension for electricity bill payments.

The Power Division said the extension will apply to the due dates of electricity bills for July and August 2024, providing additional time for consumers to manage their payments.