KCCI urges govt to introduce electricity bill relief for Sindh

KARACHI: The Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) is calling for a reduction in electricity bills for Sindh, similar to the Rs14 per unit cut recently granted to Punjab.

The business and public sectors in Sindh are struggling with exorbitantly high and burdensome electricity bills, which are causing severe financial strain. In a statement on Monday, KCCI President Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh urged President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, and Federal Minister for Energy Awais Laghari to promptly implement relief measures for Sindh. Sheikh highlighted that the province’s contribution to Pakistan’s economy deserves similar consideration as Punjab’s.

He added that the federal government must acknowledge the severe difficulties faced by Sindh’s business community. The soaring energy costs have significantly increased the cost of doing business, and the situation is exacerbated by the high charges for water, which are comparatively lower in Punjab and other provinces.

Sheikh pointed out that the economic strain has reached such extremes that residents are forced to cut back on meals or withdraw their children from school to manage their electricity bills. This distressing situation, he noted, is a serious concern for policymakers who claim to work towards national economic prosperity.

“How can a nation thrive when children are removed from schools and people are forced to skip meals to pay for electricity?” he questioned, stressing that this issue could have long-lasting and damaging effects on Pakistan’s future.

The KCCI president insisted that reducing electricity tariffs in Sindh has become a matter of survival. He urged the government to provide urgent relief through a substantial reduction in electricity bills for both people and the business community in the province.

Given Karachi’s unparalleled role and contribution to the national economy, Sheikh expressed hope that the federal government would soon announce similar relief measures for Sindh as it has for Punjab.