Power tariff up by 7.4 percent

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) once again raised electricity tariffs by 90 paisas per unit.According to notification issued by Ministry of Water and Power, the tariff is raised in accordance with the hike in international fuel prices. All power distribution companies will impose the new tariff from May. The government had earlier increased the electricity tariff by 55 per cent this year. It is pertinent to mention that the government has made a commitment to the International Monetary Fund that all subsidy on the power sector will be withdrawn as soon as possible.Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has called for withdrawal of the current hike in power tariff, describing it as unjustified. In a statement issued from Raiwind, he decried the raise in electricity charges, saying the move would hit poverty-stricken masses.The PML-N leader said the act of cruelty demonstrates governments failure to take measures for the relief of masses.On Wednesday, the government notified an across-the-board 7.6 per cent increase in tariff of all power companies. The public view is getting hard towards the incumbent government as it termed the move to up the power tariff as callous on part of the government. The government has taken the bread from the poors mouth, an angry man complained, saying that the hike in suicide ration is caused by such irresponsible moves by the government, but the rulers are neglecting all this. The people warned that if the situation remained the same a revolution is not much away.