The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Wednesday said trillions of rupees have been taken out from the pockets of poor people through highly inflated electricity bills.
The money stolen through over-billing from the people who were already reeling under record inflation should be returned to them immediately, it said.
If the government is not involved in this robbery, then it should punish those responsible so that in the future, no one dares any move that will further undermine the public’s trust in the government, said Brig. (retd) Aslam Khan, Chairman PEW.
In a statement issued here today, he said that people in different areas are protesting against the electricity bills prompting the government to take a decision regarding fuel price adjustment which is insufficient.
On the one hand, the people are being cheated and on the other, the National Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) is continuously increasing the electricity rates, which is damaging the purchasing power of people and the economy.
Nepra should be stopped from taking controversial decisions as it seems to be bent on destroying the limping economy.
Aslam Khan said that there is some justification for receiving fuel price adjustment from the areas where people are being supplied with electricity from fuel-fired power plants, but in the areas where electricity is being supplied from dams, the fuel price adjustment is also charged which is the worst example of exploitation.
He said that Nepra was established in 1997 to make the issues related to electricity production and transmission transparent and to improve the electricity distribution and production system, but this institution has failed in its objectives and has become a pain for the public.
