Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his meeting with Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari via video link, has proposed that since the production of electricity is higher than the demand, therefore the tariff for peak hours and different slabs may be withdrawn to provide relief to the public and the target low-income customers.

The CM was assisted by his Energy Minister Syed Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif and Secretary Energy Musadiq Khan. The federal Minister was assisted by the Federal Secretary for Power Dr Fakhre Alam.

The CM and the federal power minister discussed the proposal to provide relief to low-income electricity customers. The Sindh CM said that the low-income/targeted customers using 300 to 500 units per month may be provided relief in the electricity bills. ‘In this regard, the provincial government has submitted its proposals for discussion and consideration,’ Murad Shah said.

Mr Shah said that different slabs of tariff needed to be abolished by offering flat rates to all domestic consumers. In this, the consumption of electricity would be increased and the customers naturally using 300 to 500 units per month could be targeted for relief through the BISP program.

Federal Power Minister Awais Leghari said that the prime minister has already tasked him to work out a detailed plan so that low-income customers could be provided relief in their bills. ‘I have received directives from the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari to discuss the plan with you [the chief minister] and find a way out for the low-income customers,’ he said.

Sindh CM said that the [federal] government would have to reduce the cost of power production by utilising local/Indigenous fuel. ‘The electricity tariff could only be reduced when the production cost would come down,’ he said.

Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari said that the electricity demand has come down for different reasons, and the peak hours in the sense of demand have also changed, therefore the proposals given by the Sindh CM could be considered. As far as the abolition of different slabs is concerned, Mr Leghari said that matter was debatable.

Shah proposed to provide electricity to factories at a subsidized rate if they started a night shift. In this way, the produced power could be utilized and simultaneously employment opportunities would be created. At this, Minister Power said that he would have a separate session with the Sindh chief minister either in Karachi or Islamabad to discuss and finalize different proposals.