‘One extra unit, six months of punishment: stop unfair power and gas bill system, please’

This is apropos a letter to the Editor titled ”One extra unit, six months of punishment: stop unfair power and gas bill system, please” from this writer carried by the newspaper on Saturday, Sunday and yesterday.

Climate change has made electricity an increasing necessity.

Another critical factor that policymakers must not overlook is climate change. Pakistan is among the countries severely affected by extreme weather events and rising temperatures. As heatwaves become more intense and prolonged, air conditioning is increasingly becoming a necessity for many households rather than a mere luxury.

In the past, refrigerators were considered luxury appliances in many Pakistani homes. Today, they have become an essential part of everyday life. Similarly, in the sweltering summer months, particularly in densely populated urban areas, sleeping comfortably in an apartment without air conditioning can become extremely difficult.

Treating every increase in electricity consumption as evidence of excessive or unnecessary use is, therefore, an oversimplification of a much more complex reality. A household’s consumption may rise because of unbearable temperatures, the presence of additional family members or other unavoidable circumstances.

This does not mean that electricity should be consumed without restraint. Rather, it means that tariff policies must distinguish between unnecessary consumption and reasonable domestic needs.

Zahid Rajput

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026