PM directs to find 'extraordinary solution' to cut electricity, gas prices

Prime Minister Imran Khan directed the concerned authorities to look for 'unusual solutions' to reduce electricity and gas prices on a regular basis so as to provide relief to the local consumers and to control the rising inflation in the country.

He said this while presiding over a high-level meeting on the reduction of electricity and gas prices in Islamabad.

The meeting was attended by Energy Minister Omar Ayub, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Omar, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance, Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Assistant Special Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan and Assistant Special Minister for Petroleum Nadeem Babar.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, the meeting made several offers to reduce gas and electricity prices (especially for general consumers).

Nadeem Babar also presented a long-term plan in this regard.

The Prime Minister was also briefed on issues related to gas and electricity generation and delivery companies.

The Prime Minister said that the previous governments have made expensive and unconventional agreements and arrangements without taking into account the interest of the country which has increased the circulation loan from expensive electricity.

He said that the priority of the government is to provide relief to the poor and the poor and to promote industries so that the wheels of the economy can run.

The Prime Minister was told that the government was spending the cost of the most expensive power plant installed in the government in the past and the burden of these projects was on the people.

It was informed at the meeting that the government has taken effective steps to prevent theft of electricity, which has resulted in a revenue of Rs.1 trillion.

Similarly, circular loans have been reduced from Rs 36 billion to Rs 12 billion monthly.

The Prime Minister was told that circular loans would be further reduced to zero by the end of this financial year.

The meeting was informed that the current government is trying not only to prevent theft and line losses through administrative reforms in the gas and electricity sectors but also to ensure availability of these utilities at reasonable prices to domestic and industrial consumers. Is also taking steps so that people and industries can benefit.

It should be noted that a few days ago, the Prime Minister while talking to a group of journalists, expressed dissatisfaction over the rise in electricity and gas prices and assured that they would not be increased in the near future.

He believed that high rates of electricity and gas, especially for the industrial sector, were a major reason for rising inflation in the country.