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QUETTA/
ISLAMABAD/
LAHORE:
The water affairs ministry on Thursday opposed the withdrawal of free electricity units being provided to the employees of power companies, claiming that there would be no savings while proceeding ahead with the move.
The development came as consumers were staging countrywide protests against overinflated bills and demanding an end to the provision of free units to employees of government departments affiliated with the power sector.
The ministry as well as the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) voiced their opinion against the abolishment of the free units.
On the other hand, the finance ministry proposed ending the facility of free units to power firms’ employees.
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Sources said the interim government had also submitted a plan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to provide relief to the electricity consumers.
They added that the finance ministry had prepared a relief plan for those who were using 400 units of electricity and if the IMF agreed, a pact could be signed for two months.
The sources continued that the finance ministry would give a written guarantee to recover the bills of August and September in instalments and it was being considered to withdraw the increase of Rs7 in the basic tariff in a gradual manner.
According to the sources, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) suggested increasing the utility allowance of the workers to end their free-unit facility.
The proposal to give the employees an equivalent amount of money instead of free units also came under consideration.
The Power Division proposed giving the employees an amount equivalent to free units with their monthly salaries. According to the sources, the Power Division presented its proposal in the federal cabinet meeting.
The sources said 189,171 retired and current employees were being provided free electricity units.
They added that retired and serving employees were receiving 34.758 million free electricity units per month.
In a related development, the employees of the Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) staged a protest against the plan to end their free units.
According to details, Qesco employees staged a protest at their chief’s office in the provincial capital of Balochistan that culminated in a rally.
The protesters were carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demands.
The employees demanded that the government should not proceed with the decision to end their free electricity units and instead provide relief to them as they were struggling to survive in this era of high inflation.
In Lahore, the Pakistan Wapda Employees Union demonstrated in favour of the facility of free electricity units. The president of the union warned that there would be a severe reaction if the free electricity units provided to the employees were stopped.
The protesters said categorisation in bills, political interference, and the excessive taxes incorporated in them should be removed immediately to provide cheap electricity to the people.
(With input from agencies)
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