New agreements to stop hike in electricity tariff: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Sunday that new agreements with the independent power producers (IPPs) will stop further hike in electricity tariff across the country, ARY News reported.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while addressing an event in Multan today, said that steps are being taken for improvement in Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) and its chief held a meeting with him for discussing plans for facilitating citizens.

He said that the availability of 40,000 new electricity connections would be made available for domestic consumers after the construction of a new grid station. It will also provide 5,000 connections for commercial and industrial consumers as well, whereas, Rs51 million will be spent on the new project for ensuring the safety of lives by covering the electricity wires over the residential areas.

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He announced that different plans are also under consideration for providing gas connections. Qureshi said that electricity tariff was increased due to agreements signed by the previous governments.

The foreign minister highlighted that Prime Minister Imran Khan had asked IPPs for reducing the electricity rates, whereas, many meetings had been held for revising the agreements with the independent power producers.

He added that the power plants installed by the past governments were most expensive, however, the federal government is near to sign new agreements for generating low-cost electricity.

The present government has not only inaugurated the different projects for dams’ construction but also initiated the development work for benefitting the future generation. Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that various industries will be resumed after promoting the construction sector.