Government set to unveil relief package for flood victims soon

ISLAMABAD: The federal government is set to announce a relief package for flood victims within the next 24 to 48 hours, Power Secretary Dr. Muhammad Fakhre Alam Irfan said on Wednesday.

While briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Power, Dr. Fakhre Alam stated that the authorities are actively working to provide relief to flood-affected areas, particularly in the form of concessions in electricity bills.

He further added that consultations are ongoing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Ministry of Finance to finalize the package. “The relief package for flood victims will be unveiled in the next day or two,” he said.

During the briefing, the Power Secretary highlighted that last year, losses in the power sector amounted to Rs397 billion—significantly lower than the projected target of Rs640 billion. For the current fiscal year, the loss target has been set at Rs540 billion.

Dr. Fakhre Alam emphasized that ongoing reforms in the energy sector are delivering notable results, including a significant reduction in losses and improved performance across various power distribution companies (DISCOs). “This is the first time such a major reduction in power sector losses has been achieved under the current reform agenda,” he noted.

Earlier, on the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the flood-affected areas across Pakistan are going to have significant electricity bill relief, ARY News reported.

During a high-level meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the decision was made to help the financial problems faced by citizens affected by recent floods.

According to the directive, the immediate suspension of electricity bill collection for the month of August in flood-affected areas across Pakistan has been implemented.