Khawaja Asif announces to increase power tariff

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif has announced to increase power tariff this month saying that surge in circular debt could be stopped if the electricity price is raised forthwith.

The minister said the power tariff was being increased for commercial consumers this month while the price for domestic consumers would be raised within the next two to three months.

He also stressed the need to end subsidy on electricity. The minister said that the circular debt might soar up to Rs150 billion if the power tariff is not increased for the next two to three months.

Khawaja Asif said that the government would try to cut per unit production cost of electricity which now stands at Rs14 which would have to be brought down at around Rs11.

He said that no other country in the world had as many vehicles consuming CNG fuel as in Pakistan. Asif maintained that millions of Pakistanis could not be deprived of electricity for CNG-vehicle owners.