Increase in electricity tariffs adds to financial woes

A massive increase in base tariffs of electricity has added to the woes of inflation-weary people who are already withstanding the worst of record inflation. A fresh news report says electricity rates will continue to rise until the elections.

In some areas of Rawalpindi city load shedding is quite heavy; however, it is not irritating to poor domestic users, only the rich ones are suffering because they use electric devices,” says Najaf Ali from Shaheen Town. “I have stopped resenting the frequent unscheduled load shedding. The long duration of power outages is not playing havoc with domestic users like me as I am getting much-reduced electricity bill,” says Nazia Batool from Asghar Mall Scheme.

“We are already reeling under the high cost of daily-use items, and with floated electricity bills, our lives can become miserable. However, we are fully prepared to face it as we plan not to use air-conditioners, room coolers, and other appliances. In addition, hours-long power load shedding by Iesco is also helping us,” says Shehyar Bano, a homemaker from Faisal Colony.

“We are thankful to the Iesco authorities that they switch off electricity more than the normal schedule. Because of this, our comfort-addict children cannot switch on the ACs, thus saving us an inflated electricity bill,” says Rizwan Haider, the father of seven children, from Gulzar-e-Quaid.

“Although we are most inconvenienced by the electricity suspension because it is difficult to read without electricity, however, we manage when appearing in the examination. We are happy it gives relief to our low-income parents as they cannot pay the overblown electricity bill,” say, Shumaila Naqvi and Ali Zaidi, residents of Fazal Town Phase-II.

Irfan Jafary and Nabeela from Shah Khalid Colony say, “Our poor father cannot purchase Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) device, therefore, we have to put up with the hot weather despite unease. Even for those who have got the UPS its battery is exhausted within three hours. What is the use of it then?”

“With the advent of summer, which adds extra burden on the supply system, transformers develop a fault due to consumer burden that is why electricity is suspended, says Iesco officials. Nevertheless, we do not have any complaint to lodge with them as they are helping in reducing our electricity bills,” says Akbar Hussain from Airport Housing Society.

Sehrish Fatima says, “It is not unfortunate for us the underprivileged people that the power tariff in Pakistan is one of the highest in the region and the service quality is the poorest. The scheduled and unscheduled power outages and bad management of the power sector are not annoying. I am not worried about the interrupted supply of power to other categories of consumers but the domestic users like me are happy as we do not have electric appliances.”