Govt 'waives August power bills' for flood-affected consumers

The federal government has exempted flood-hit consumers from paying August electricity bills, sources in the Power Division confirmed to Geo News on Friday.

Flash floods killed at least 1,037 people and injured 1,067 across Pakistan, according to the National Disaster Management Authority's data from June to October.

The decision — approved by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — applied to all categories of domestic consumers, the sources added.

Those who have already paid their August bills will receive adjustments through their respective distribution companies, including Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) and others.

The sources further said that bills of non-domestic consumers, including commercial and other categories, have not been waived but deferred for four months. They have been allowed to clear their pending bills in six instalments.

Last month, PM Shehbaz Sharif announced a relief package for flood-affected people in a televised address, noting that recent rains and flooding had caused extensive human and material losses.

"Helping the flood victims is our duty," the prime minister said, adding that directives had been issued to electricity distribution companies to implement immediate relief measures.

Under the package, one month's electricity bills for residential consumers in flood-hit areas were waived, while the collection of August bills from commercial and industrial users was postponed.

PM Shehbaz said the federal government would bear the cost of the waived bills, and those who had already made payments would receive adjustments in their next billing cycle.

He added that losses in the agricultural, commercial and industrial sectors were being assessed, and pledged that further relief measures would follow if the assessment indicated greater damage.

The prime minister reaffirmed his government's commitment to the full rehabilitation of all flood-affected regions.