Another electric shock

Grim reality we confront is soaring cost of electricity, scal­ing to over Rs50 per unit for highest consumption slab

In a seemingly unending saga, headlines consistently trumpet the surge in power tariffs, each episode underpinned by a fresh rationale — be it fuel adjustments, circular debt intricacies or others. The grim reality we confront is the soaring cost of electricity, scal­ing to over Rs50 per unit for the highest consumption slab. Recently, yet another proposal has been made to increase power tariffs by Rs3.55 per unit to prevent a decline in the collection of electricity bills and recoup elevated amounts in the next six months, casting a sombre shadow on an already burdened populace.

The implications of these untimely increase are not merely financial; they reverberate through households, businesses and the broader social fabric, amplifying the existing challenges that citizens are grapple. Due to this upwards trajectory, Pakistan’s social divide has reached alarming levels as ordinary citizens, already navigating a minefield of inflation and economic uncertainty, now face the untimely weight of inflated electricity costs — a haunting uncertainty. The industrial sector’s outcry is also particularly telling, as sky-rocketing electricity rates have forced many small-scale businesses to close shop while reduced production of big businesses has adversely affected exports. Apart from the obvious economic challenges, other pressing concerns include the high rate of transmission and dis­tribution losses and power theft. These twin challenges have long haunted our power distribution system, lead­ing to massive financial losses. It is imperative that the authorities focus their efforts on curbing these losses.

Furthermore, accountability and transparency within the power sector must be prioritised. The public deserves clear explanations untimely price hikes and disproportionate load shedding. With the notion of provincialising distribution companies resurfaces as a potential remedy, a roundtable conference must be sought where key stakeholders sit together and chart out a practical way forward.