This is apropos a Business Recorder news item “Govt avoids making power tariff hike announcement” carried by the newspaper yesterday. According to it, “A team ministers comprising Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, Minister for Energy Omar Ayub, Information Minister Shibli Faraz and SAPM on Power Tabish Gauhar were ready to announce the increase in power tariff was postponed rather abruptly.”
The situation clearly shows that the government cannot take this decision owing to a variety of factors, including growing challenge of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). But it is required to take and announce this decision in order to meet one of the key conditionalities of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to revive the stalled $6 billion programme as early as possible. In other words, the government is between the devil and the deep blue sea.
Shahbaz Khan (Karachi)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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