PTI to start countrywide protests against increase in power tariffs

Imran Khan makes announcement during speech at rally in Muzaffargarh.

MUZAFFARGARH: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) will start countrywide protests on March 22 against the increase in power tariffs, party chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday.

Imran made this announcement during his speech at a rally in Muzaffargarh.

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) approved 21% increase in power tariffs on March 20, just a month after it increased electricity rates by 39%.

The increase came after Nepra approved four petitions filed by the state-owned Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), a subsidiary of the state-owned National Transmission and Dispatch Company. The CPPA claimed that its fuel costs for the month of October 2011 through January 2012 were far higher than those it was allowed to bill and so it must increase the tariffs in order to recover the costs it has already paid to power generation companies.