Parliamentary body to solve power tariff issue

[Naveed Yaseen]

Date for electricity bills extended by 10 days
KARACHI: Federal Minister for Water & Power Raja Pervez Ashraf extended the deadline for payment of bills by 10 days on Wednesday and decided to form a parliamentary committee to resolve the issue of new electricity tariff in a meeting with business leaders at the Governor House Sindh.

He said that the government would call a meeting of all stakeholders including the business community in Islamabad in a day or two to discuss the issue at length.

Sheikh Fazle Jalil, Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) said the meeting with Raja Pervez Ashraf ended on a good note as he decided to extend the deadline for paying electricity bills by 10 days until the matter is solved with all stakeholders.

He said that businessmen would be leaving for Islamabad to discuss the matter with the government.

“We have also asked the government to reconstitute both National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).”

Anjum Nisar, President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and others from the FPCCI and industrial associations of Karachi were present in the meeting with the minister to discuss the standoff over KESC bills.

They deliberated upon this issue with the federal minister that the business community as well as the general public of Karachi were angry over excessive billing by the KESC due to the recent hike in tariff and said that unless the issue of excessive billing is resolved by the KESC, no bills would be paid.

Naveed Ismail, Managing Director KESC and Dr Ishratul Ebad, Governor Sindh, were also present in the meeting.

Muhammad Iqbal Ebrahim, Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) after meeting Raja Pervez Ashraf said that gas companies sought 33 per cent increase in tariff while the increase in electricity tariff of around 60 per cent has already threatened the industry. “It’s not a good omen,” he said.

He said that the parliamentary committee that has been constituted for solving the power tariff issue in the next 10 days would also decide on the gas tariff issue.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=142519