Demanding the removal of taxes from electricity bills, former finance minister and founder of Awam Pakistan Party (APP) Miftah Ismail said his party has decided to move court against K-Electric, vowing to fight the case on behalf of the public.
Addressing a protest demonstration organized by his party against inflated power bills, Miftah said if electricity is not free for the public then no one deserves it free of cost.
He also reminded the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of its promise to provide free electricity to consumers using 300 units per month.
"If you cannot provide electricity free of cost, do not impose taxes," demanded the former finance minister. He said there has been 350 percent hike in the tariff of power bills since 2015, questioning rhetorically if the salaries were raised accordingly.
He said his party is holding a peaceful protest as per its claim. Even the traffic flow is not disrupted, he pointed out, adding the people do not resort to violence until their leaders ask them to do so.
He claimed around 10 percent consumers do not pay bills but they are being provided electricity. He demanded of the K-E to stop overbilling. He deplored that loadshedding is being carried out in low-income areas for 8 to 12 hours, even then the consumers of those areas are getting inflated bills.
A day ago, Miftah Ismail had advised the government to withdraw sales tax and advanced income tax from the power bill for three months in order to alleviate the back-breaking burden from the consumers.
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