Workers protest against plan to withdraw free units

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD:

The officers and employees of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) and other institutions affiliated with the energy sector on Wednesday staged a protest against the government’s plan to end their free units of electricity.

They staged a protest outside the Lesco headquarters while the engineers of the power company blocked the Queens Road.

The protesters, who included the representatives of the Lesco Engineers Association, maintained that they did not receive free units of electricity and in fact it was an allowance that was part of their salaries.

They accused the caretaker government of “resorting to such actions” to divert the people’s attention from the “genuine issues”.

They warned that the power sector employees would stop working if the government went ahead with its decision.

A day earlier, Lesco Engineers Association General Secretary Fiaz Ahmed claimed that their free supply of electricity did not affect the tariff of ordinary consumers.

In a statement, he regretted that a hype of free electricity units in the power sector had been created on the social media.

In response to mounting protests and growing discontent among citizens, a high-level meeting was convened on Monday to address the pressing issue.

Following the huddle, interim Information Minister Murtaza Solangi said the energy ministry had finalised a list of proposals to provide relief to the people that would be presented in a meeting of the federal cabinet for approval.

These proposals included the withdrawal of the facility of free electricity units to the employees of Wapda and other power-affiliated institutions.

The plan to extend instalment relief to the consumers for the payments was discussed as well.

In a related development, the issue of giving free units to civil servants and heavy electricity bills to the general public has reached the Supreme Court.

A petition has been filed in the SC on behalf of a citizen, Saeeda Begum, requesting the court to immediately stop the supply of free electricity units to officers of all government departments.

The petitioner asked the top court to nullify the free electricity and fuel facilities to all institutions including the judiciary and parliamentarians.

She further contended that the excessive taxes incorporated in electricity bills should be abolished.

The petitioner continued that the exemption for independent power producers (IPPs) from paying their taxes should be brought to an end.

The plea added that the previous government had exempted the IPPs and power board from taxes on electricity.

It further stated that those working in the electricity department also drew their salaries.

She asked the court to restore the electricity slabs for the convenience of the people, adding that the Constitution ensured the provision of equal facilities to all citizens.

The petitioner informed the court that she had been issued an electricity bill of more than Rs54,000. She added that she was unable to pay it despite using all the resources at her disposal.