NA speaker orders probe into inflated electricity bills across country

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly (NA) Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has issued directives to hold an investigation into the inflated electricity bills across the country, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The NA Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf ordered to hold a probe into inflated electricity bills across the country and referred the matter to the concerned standing committee of the house.

Ashraf issued the directives after Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali drew the attention of the house towards the inflated power bills in the month of August.

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Federal Power Minister Khurram Dastgir, while speaking on the floor of the house, admitted that the electricity bills were high in the month of August which increased the worries of the nationals. The consumers received the bills for the units consumed in July. The fuel price adjustment was applied to June bills, he added.

“Fuel adjustment [on power units] was not imposed on the consumption of 100 or lesser units. Farmers have also held protests against the high power bills. The prime minister approved discounted rates for the consumption of up to 300 units by the consumers and farmers.”

“The government has borne an additional financial burden of Rs3,500 billion. This month, the fuel price adjustment of Rs9.89 per unit is reduced to Rs0.22. Following the PM’s directives, a relief of Rs37 billion was granted on August bills and Rs15 billion in September, whereas, the government is providing another relief on electricity bills worth Rs66 billion in two months.”

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Federal Minister for Water Resources Khursheed Shah also raised the issue of inflated power bills. He apprised the house that

He questioned the reality of Dastgir’s claims regarding a massive reduction in fuel price adjustment from nearly Rs10 to Rs0.22 after receiving an inflated power bill.

“I have received an electricity bill worth Rs33,000 against the consumed units at my house, whereas, the amount of fuel adjustment is Rs200,000.”

Khurram Dastgir recommended a probe into Shah’s electricity bill.

The NA speaker issued orders to launch a probe into the electricity bills across the country and referred the matter to the relevant standing committee.