KARACHI: Chairman of FPCCI Advisory Board and National Business Group Pakistan, President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, Mian Zahid Hussain said that the increase in basic electricity tariff and fixed charges is unbearable for public and businesses.
Due to the continuous increase in the price of electricity, the livelihood of the people and the rights of traders and industrialists to do business are being taken away, he said. He asked how the government would collect taxes when the economy doesn’t work. He said that business expansion, investment, reduction in unemployment, inflation, and tax targets will fail miserably due to the government’s policies.
He said that the government did not consult the businessmen and industrialists before the budget, which is a recipe for an economic disaster.
He noted that petroleum dealers are on strike. In contrast, oil marketing companies, alternative medicine, exporters, gems and jewelry, salaried employees, the lubricant industry, construction, real estate, and other business sectors are protesting.
Mian Zahid said that people are fed up with inflation and don’t have money to pay utility bills. The pressure is increasing on the people, while those from whom taxes should be collected are not even being looked at, which is the worst exploitation. He added that since the tax defaulters, tax evaders, electricity thieves, and failed government institutions have been given an open exemption, all the burden of their luxury is falling on the taxpayers and the people.
Mian Zahid Hussain said the government has increased the basic electricity tariff by Rs 5.72 per unit.
The basic tariff per unit of electricity for domestic consumers has been set at Rs48.84 paisa, which will increase from Rs 65 per unit due to adjustments and other taxes, which will put an additional burden of about Rs600 billion on consumers.
He further said that the increased fixed electricity charges for various categories have also been approved. A 150% increase in monthly fixed charges for commercial customers has been approved, after which the fixed charges will increase from Rs500 to Rs1250.
On the other hand, the monthly fixed charges for industrial customers have been increased from Rs440 to Rs1250. Similarly, a 100% increase in monthly fixed charges for agricultural tubewell consumers has been approved. It will be increased from Rs.200 to Rs.400.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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