Govt urged for reconsidering amendments in NEPRA Act

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) on Monday appealed the government to reconsider amendments in NEPRA Act and amend it in accordance with the aspirations of business community.

The amendments made in the NEPRA Act through an ordinance to put in place a mechanism for automatic hike in electricity tariff of about Rs.5.36 per unit (34 per cent) over the next 27 months.

Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, ICCI said that power tariffs in Pakistan were considered highest in the region, which increased the cost of doing business and rendered local products uncompetitive in world markets.

He was of the view that under the Circular Debt Management Plan (CDMP) of the government envisaged in the ordinance, the average uniform power rate would gradually go up to over Rs.21 per unit, excluding taxes, duties, surcharges and other add-owns in the bills from its current level of over Rs.15 per unit.

He said that according to some reports, the automatic power tariff hike by NEPRA would put an additional burden and hike in the cost of doing business and enhance inflation for the common man.

Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said that the Prime Minister Imran Khan was striving for promoting the ease of doing business to make Pakistan an attractive country for business and investment activities.

The business class was the backbone of the economy, he urged the and urged the government to take the business community on board while making key economic decisions with consultation with them that would prove help in development of economy.

He urged the government to make changes in the ordinance in consultation with the business community to remove its negative implications for the business and economic activities.

Fatma Azim Senior Vice President and Abdul Rehman Khan Vice President ICCI said that after the amendment in NEPRA Act, the power consumers will also to face burden.