KARACHI: The Pakistan Business Forum (PBF) has expressed disappointment over the recently announced Roshan Maeeshat Bijli Package, saying it will not effectively reduce the cost of doing business or make local industries competitive, termed ineffective to address core issue of high power tariff.
PBF President Khawaja Mehboob ur Rehman said the new package—though well-intentioned—fails to address the fundamental problem of Pakistan’s high electricity tariffs. He recalled that the previous Bijli Sahulat Package launched last winter also failed to deliver meaningful results, with industries receiving an average relief of just Rs. 2 per unit despite claims of a Rs. 26.07 per unit concession.
Rehman stressed that “until the per-unit cost of electricity comes down to Rs. 26, we will not rest,” adding that affordable power is essential for every citizen, shop, and factory. Under the new Roshan Maeeshat Bijli Package, industries and farmers will receive additional electricity at Rs. 22.98 per unit for the next three years—until October 2028—but the basic tariff remains unchanged.
PBF argued that with the current base tariff of around Rs. 34 per unit (excluding taxes and fuel adjustments) the new package would not bring substantial relief.
PBF Chief Organiser Ahmad Jawad said the current electricity tariff has become a serious burden for businesses, calling it “a tax on production and employment.” He added that Pakistan’s economy is stuck in a cycle where “for a hammer, everything is a nail,” meaning structural problems are being met with short-term fixes.
Jawad noted that while the system has 7,000 MW of surplus power, this capacity will not yield results unless the base tariff is rationalized. He also posed three critical questions to policymakers: How long can Pakistan’s industries remain competitive with tariffs exceeding 12 cents per unit, while regional rivals pay nearly half? What is the concrete roadmap to achieve the long-promised 9 cents per unit benchmark for base industrial tariffs? How will the government ensure that reforms move beyond short-term relief schemes to deliver lasting tariff rationalization and structural competitiveness?
PBF officials also stated that without significant tariff reduction and sustainable energy reforms, Pakistan’s industrial and agricultural sectors will continue to struggle against regional competitors.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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