Traders to stage sit-in against inflated bills outside NEPRA’s Karachi office

Karachi: Karachi's Bahadurabad area witnessed a token sit-in organized by leaders of traders associations in protest against high electricity bills.

The demonstrators demanded that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) cease enabling K-Electric to levy inflated electricity charges.

Prominent figures like Mehmood Hamid, Atiq Mir, Sharif Memon, and Asif Gulfam addressed the gathering.

The traders voiced concerns over the financial burden faced by business owners, which had led to bankruptcies and even suicides among citizens. They called upon the government to reduce petrol and electricity prices and to impose restrictions on free-of-cost fuel and electricity provided to the elite. Additionally, they demanded an end to VIP protocols for the elites to conserve public funds.

The protesting traders declared their determination to challenge what they saw as a collusion between NEPRA and K-Electric.

Caretaker Federal Minister for Energy, Power, and Petroleum, Muhammad Ali, recently announced plans to introduce a revised electricity tariff before October 31.

During a press conference with Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori, Ali emphasized the government's commitment to cracking down on electricity and gas theft. He pledged to control electricity tariffs and provide affordable power to industries starting October 31, attributing the inflated bills to electricity theft and USD price increases.

While acknowledging the challenges in amending previous agreements, Ali promised to explore solutions that respected the terms. He also assured that affordable electricity would be available to industries during the winter season, even though there were no reductions in solar equipment prices. The government intends to devise a strategy to promote solarization.