KARACHI: Ex-Finance Minister and leader of the newly-formed Awam Pakistan Party, Miftah Ismail, announced on Sunday his plan to file a petition against K-Electric.
Addressing a protest organized by his party, Ismail expressed his commitment to fighting for public rights and demanded the removal of taxes imposed on electricity.
Ismail criticized the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for failing to deliver on its promise of providing 300 free units of electricity. He argued that if free electricity cannot be provided to the public, it should not be available to anyone.
Ismail also pointed out a staggering 350% increase in electricity bills since 2015 and questioned whether salaries have risen proportionately.
The former PML-N member condemned the imposition of taxes on electricity bills, noting that household consumers face a 24% tax, while commercial users are taxed at 37%. He accused the government of increasing its operational expenses by 24%, including higher expenditures for the Senate.
Ismail proposed that suspending taxes for household consumers for four months would result in only a Rs50 billion loss, and reducing taxes could decrease electricity bills by 24%. He criticized K-Electric for overbilling and frequent power outages in impoverished areas, despite continuous hikes in bills.
Reiterating his stance, Ismail emphasized that if free electricity cannot be provided to all, it should not be available to anyone. He vowed to file a petition against K-Electric and to advocate on behalf of the public.
Recently, Ismail suggested that the government eliminate sales tax and advance income tax on electricity bills for domestic consumers from July to September, claiming this would reduce household electricity bills by 24%.
He stressed the need for the government to cut its own expenses and argued that high electricity bills contribute to political instability in Pakistan, distancing the ruling party, PML-N, from the public. “Those in power who ask the people to make sacrifices must also be willing to do the same,” he stated.
