'Power bills unpayable': Nawaz says no good being done to country

LAHORE: Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif on Saturday directed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led administration to take all-out measures to provide relief to the inflation-hit masses, saying it has become "impossible" for everyone to pay electricity bills. 

Criticising the decisions of the previous rulers, he said that the country "is not being treated well which was achieving development goals and got rid of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)".

"Justice is offered to a man roaming in the street," said Nawaz who stepped down as prime minister in 2017 after the Supreme Court disqualified him for not declaring a receivable salary.

"What is the need [of such decisions] which increased sufferings of this country," the former premier questioned, lamenting that the country was successfully achieving the milestones of development and prosperity before his ouster from power.

He made the statement while chairing a high-level session alongside Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to review matters related to the CM Solar Panel Scheme 2024 in Lahore today.

"Electricity bills become a trouble for everyone [...] not only for poor people but for everyone," he added. The PML-N president claimed that his government "eliminated loadshedding and controlled electricity rates".

He also took credit for maintaining a low inflation rate and a stable currency, as well as "getting rid of the IMF" programme but all positive efforts went in vain after the change of regime in 2018. "All of us know well, who bring the IMF to this country, again."

"The decision-makers will have to think now and care about our people," he insisted.

He issued directives to the government to take all possible steps to provide relief to the masses.

Nawaz's statement came after cash-strapped Pakistan and the global lender reached a three-year, $7 billion bailout programme "endorsed by the federal and provincial governments", the Washington-based institution announced last week.

Regarding the new loan, PM Shehbaz, in his address to the nation, pledged that the new bailout package with the global lender will be the last in the country’s history.

The new programme, which needs to be validated by the IMF's Executive Board, should enable Pakistan to "cement macroeconomic stability and create conditions for stronger, more inclusive and resilient growth," according to a statement issued by the global lender.

Tough measures in line with the IMF conditions such as raising tax on agricultural incomes and lifting electricity prices have prompted concerns about poor and middle-class Pakistanis grappling with rising inflation and the prospect of higher taxes.

Solar panel scheme 

In the same session, Punjab Secretary Energy Dr Naeem Rauf gave a detailed briefing on the programme and said that a test run of the pilot project had been started in different locations in which the performance of the solar panel systems will be observed.

He added that the scheme will be launched from August 14 after completing the test run of the pilot project.

While detailing the scheme, Rauf said that the eligibility of citizens for acquiring solar panels will be ascertained through their power bill reference number and computerised national identity card (CNICs) submitted at 8800.

"District administration and power distribution companies (Discos) will verify credentials of the applicants who are declared successful in the balloting," he added.

Subsequently, specific bar and QR codes will be printed on solar panels and systems to stop their sales in the markets, said Rauf.

He further briefed that those power consumers will be ineligible for the scheme who were involved in electricity theft, tampered electricity metres and electricity defaulters.

CM Maryam ordered the authorities concerned to introduce more relaxations in the solar panel scheme and complete work for the early launching of the renewable energy programme.

The chief minister said that flour and electricity rates have badly affected the financial conditions of the masses and vowed to take all-out measures to provide relief to the citizens.

She announced that the scope of the solar panel scheme will be expanded in phases across the province. She added that Punjab was the only province which took the lead by presenting Rs5.4 trillion with a surplus of Rs625 billion as per the IMF condition.

Punjab CM had signed an order in April to provide one-kilowatt solar power systems to 50,000 households in the province free of charge to ease the inflation-hit lives of low-income households facing over-bloated power bills.