The All Pakistan Traders Association has announced a nationwide protest against rising electricity bills on July 1. During a joint press conference in Islamabad on Friday, President Ajmal Baloch and other traders demanded that the federal government eliminate additional taxes by June 30 or face further actions.
Ajmal Baloch stated, “The government has committed an injustice regarding electricity bills, and we are declaring a nationwide protest starting from July 1.” He highlighted the disparity in electricity bills, noting, “A bill for 200 units is different from that of higher usage. The Independent Power Producers (IPPs), owned by government elites, are being paid in dollars.”
He explained that payments are being made for 48,000 megawatts to IPPs, while the actual need is around 20,000 megawatts. Baloch urged traders and the public to join the protest, stating, “On July 1, traders across the country should protest, and the public should join us. There will be protests on every level and every street.”
Baloch warned the government to abolish the taxes, fixed taxes, and slabs included in the electricity bills by June 30, or traders would announce their next course of action on July 1. He also called for a review of the IPP contracts, which he said burden the budget by Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 2,500 billion, and criticized the practice of providing free electricity to WAPDA employees at the public’s expense.
Central Traders Association Rawalpindi Vice President Tariq Jadoon and Rawalpindi Cantonment President Sheikh Hafeez claimed that WAPDA has installed faster meters, which, according to NEPRA’s report, are 30% faster. Khalid Chaudhry, Secretary of the Traders Action Committee Islamabad, urged the government to address these faster meters, which he said are being used by distribution firms to exploit the public.
Earlier this month, residents of Lahore reported suffering severe load shedding amid the scorching heat, with power cuts lasting over 12 hours despite high electricity bills. Akmal, a vegetable seller in Lahore, lamented the government’s failure to fulfil promises and highlighted the tripling of inflation in recent months.
He stated, “The government has now failed us. The promises they made before coming to power are now worthless. The people of Lahore are suffering despite paying their bills on time.” Akmal added that the price of electricity has risen from PKR 20 per unit to PKR 65 per unit, severely impacting small businesses.
Mauhaumad Asif, a daily wage worker from Lahore, described electricity bills as the biggest problem for people. He reported consuming about 200 to 300 units per month but paying approximately PKR 10,000. Asif noted that the bills are higher than their actual electricity usage, adding, “It is the biggest problem in our lives these days. No matter what our usage of electricity is, the bills are higher each time. And I could have deserved these high bills if my family owned an AC, but I only have a single fan. How will the people survive in this situation?”