Former Minister Urges Govt to Slash Electricity Prices for Industries

Economic Policy and Business Development Think Tank chairman and former caretaker minister Gohar Ejaz has said that reforms in the energy sector are inevitable.    While comparing Pakistan’s power tariffs with other regional countries, he said that Pakistani power consumers are paying three- and four-times high tariffs as compared to Turkey and Egypt.   He said Pakistan’s industrial sector is paying Rs. 44.56 per unit for electricity while in Egypt the per unit rate has been Rs. 10.58 and in Turkey it is equal to Rs. 16.43.   Per unit electricity rate in Bangladesh is Rs. 20.89, while the industries in India are supplied electricity at Rs. 23.39 per unit, he said. He said in Vietnam and Sri Lanka’s power prices are Rs. 23.67 per unit.   Ejaz urged the government to fix the electricity rate for consumers at Rs. 26 per unit. He said reforms are compulsory in the energy sector and called for a review of the agreements with independent power producers (IPPs).    He demanded halting payments to those IPPs not producing electricity. He also urged privatization of the power distribution companies being run in losses.