Summary Power Minister Awais Leghari says the government is considering ending the six-month additional charges imposed when electricity consumption exceeds 200 units by just one unit.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Pakistan is working to end the six-month additional billing burden on electricity consumers whose monthly consumption exceeds 200 units by even a single unit, Federal Minister for Power Division Awais Leghari told the Senate.
Responding to a calling-attention notice raised by Senator Abid Sher Ali regarding the impact of electricity tariffs charged by power distribution companies, Leghari said the government was considering changes to the existing system.
Sher Ali pointed out that consumers using 201 units could face a substantially higher per-unit tariff than those consuming 200 units, placing an additional burden on low-income households.
He questioned why a consumer using just one unit above the 200-unit threshold should face a bill calculated under a higher consumption slab, arguing that the system could penalise financially vulnerable families for marginally exceeding the limit.
Leghari said the government was working to eliminate the requirement for consumers to bear additional charges for six months after crossing the 200-unit threshold. He added that the existing limit could potentially be increased from 200 to 250 units.
The minister said the number of electricity consumers using fewer than 200 units had reached around 20 million. However, he argued that providing discounts to everyone in this category would not be appropriate because some households record lower grid consumption due to their use of solar power.
He said the government intended to direct relief towards consumers living below the poverty line to ensure that assistance reached those most in need.
The proposed changes could provide relief to households that marginally exceed the existing consumption threshold. However, the minister's remarks indicated that the measures were still under consideration, with no final implementation date announced.
