Karachi: Consumers in Pakistan are paying Rs 2.2 Trillion for a ‘ghost’ electricity, which is neither produced nor consumed, but only billed and recovered through so-called capacity charges, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Altaf Shakoor here Sunday.
He said Pakistan is the only country of the world where not only ghost schools, ghost hospitals and ghost government employees are found but also this ghost electricity. He said this type of loot and plunder from consumers is only seen in Pakistan, where regulator Nepra, supports private power producers instead of consumers.
He said recently a standing committee of the Senate rightly saw the Nepra favoring power producers over consumers, who pay trillions for unused electricity, while the IPPs escape scrutiny and forensic audit. He said that the Nepra established nearly three decades ago to protect consumers has instead become an advocate for power producers.
Altaf Shakoor said that it is a sad fact that in the past our own rulers deliberately approved flawed agreements that were clearly against the interests of the nation and country to give undue financial benefits to IPPs. He said this was a financial coup successfully staged against Pakistan and its people with the support of our own rulers. He said that the people of Pakistan are being looted and plundered by their own governments and this type of hypocrisy is found nowhere else.
He said there is no doubt that the IPPs are sucking the blood of Pakistani electricity consumers and weakening the national economy, as costly electricity is harming industry. He said that very costly electricity means more profits for the IPPs at the cost of the Pakistani economy. He said this a dark conspiracy but sadly our rulers as well as Nepra are complicit in it.
Altaf Shakoor said this is a grave issue not only concerning the economy but also with the internal security, as a growing price hike due to very costly electricity could trigger mass protests in the country anytime. He appealed to the Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir to take notice of this situation and ensure that the curse of ghost electricity is ended and the electricity is made available at fair rates to consumers on a sustainable basis. He said the elements in the government who supported and approved the flawed agreements favouring the IPPs must also be made accountable before the nation.
