LAHORE: Opposition Leader of the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmed Khan Bhachar has rejected the recent decrease in the electricity tariff, saying it was a deception as in real terms there was no relief for the people.
While addressing a press conference on Saturday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf senior leader said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of decreasing the tariff by Rs 7 per unit reflects if he has given a huge relief to the people; “on the contrary, initially, the government had made the electricity expensive by increasing its tariff to Rs 60 per unit and now it announced to drop its price by Rs 7 per unit”. He pointed out that during the PTI government, the price per unit of electricity was Rs 17; even after the recent reduction, the cost of electricity per unit has risen to over Rs 34. He asserted that reducing the electricity price by Rs 7 does not benefit tube well operations.
He castigated the government for deceiving the people by making false claims and promises. He criticised the government for its lack of transparency in addressing inflation which has surged by 212 percent. He lamented that although the government recently held a press conference where they claimed everything was fine, the reality depicted a different story. He highlighted the situation in the market during Ramadan, noting that the price of sugar climbed to Rs 172, with no standard products available in model markets.
He claimed that wheat is currently being sold at Rs 2000 per maund, marking the lowest price in 25 years. He warned that opportunists would stockpile wheat, which would lead to a significant crisis within six months due to impending shortages.
He also addressed the concerns of farmers, stating that many had cultivated canola and the price of canola has decreased from Rs 7,000 to Rs 5,000, leaving farmers in financial trouble. He also criticised the solar technology provided to farmers, claiming it is inadequate for operating an inverter tube well.
Bhachar accused the government of hijacking projects initiated by others, claiming that the actual cost of a “Clean Punjab’ programme is reflected in citizens’ utility bills. He voiced concerns about the plan to outsource Jinnah Hospital. He also criticised Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, questioning her ability to manage a hospital in Lahore. He expressed discontent over outsourcing schools, noting that poorly educated teachers are being hired on low salaries, and highlighted the illegal sale of lands gifted to schools as such transactions are prohibited by law.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments