Governor urges CM to offer Punjab-like power bill relief

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori on Sunday called on Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to offer a subsidy on electricity bills similar to the one recently announced by the Punjab government.

Governor Tessori’s demand comes in the wake of criticism from various political quarters over the selective provision of relief, raising concerns about equity among provinces.

Governor Tessori, addressing the media stressed the need for Sindh to follow Punjab’s example, where the provincial government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, announced a Rs 14 per unit reduction in electricity bills for consumers using up to 500 units during August and September.

The relief package, which Nawaz Sharif, President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), unveiled two days earlier, was lauded by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as a “historic” measure to alleviate the financial burden on the public.

However, the move has sparked criticism from other provinces, with political leaders from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) accusing the Punjab government of playing the “provincial card” in matters related to national electricity policy.

The detractors argue that providing such relief to only one province could foster resentment and deepen regional disparities.

Governor Tessori echoed these concerns, warning that denying similar relief to Sindh’s residents could lead to widespread dissatisfaction.

“Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah should allocate funds from the provincial budget to provide the same Rs 14 per unit relief in electricity bills that Punjab has extended to its citizens,” Tessori urged.

He also expressed deep concern over the impact of recent torrential rains in Sindh, which have devastated several areas and left many residents homeless.

In the context of these challenges, Tessori highlighted that no provincial funds were used for recent events at the Governor House, including the cash prize awarded to Arshad Nadeem for his gold medal victory in the Javelin Throw. The issue of rising electricity costs has become a focal point in Pakistan’s ongoing economic crisis. Last month, the federal government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised the base tariff for domestic consumers to Rs 48.84 per unit, following approval from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).

The increase, which affects consumers nationwide, was met with widespread public outcry, though users consuming up to 200 units per month were temporarily exempted for three months.