KARACHI: Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Altaf Shakoor has said that costly electricity has left Pakistani people with no option but to adopt alternate solar energy and urged the government to provide free solar panels to the low-income families under the Benazir Income Support Programme.

He said in a few next month sixty to seventy percent population of the country would not be able to afford costly electricity and they would face darkness if the solar energy option is not utilized by them.

He said historic depreciation of the Pakistani rupee has made these solar panels costly and they are beyond the reach of the poor masses.

He suggested that two solar panels should be given to each low-income family under Benazir Income Support Programme or any other public welfare scheme.

He said the State Bank of Pakistan should order all commercial banks to give loans for purchase of solar panels on emergency basis.

He said Pakistan not only needs an economic emergency but also an electricity emergency as riots are expected in whole country when electricity bills would become unbearable due to skyrocketing electricity tariffs.

He demanded to generate more electricity from nuclear source as well as local Thar coal as imported fuel to make electricity is no more feasible for Pakistani people.

PDP vice-chairman Abdul Hakim Quaid said the present and past governments have done nothing for the poor masses. He said people have rejected these merciless rulers.

He said oil prices have increased thrice within 20 days which is unacceptable.

He said the rulers want that the poor masses should die of hunger. He asked the government to end the lavish expenses of its ministers and bureaucracy and give relief to the masses. He asked the government to buy petrol from any country that is willing to sell it on lower prices.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022