Energy Minister Hints at Increasing Protected Consumers Limit From 200 to 250 Units; PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali Lashes Out Against Own Government in Senate Over High Electricity Bills
ISLAMABAD: The consumption limit for protected electricity consumers could be raised from 200 to 250 units in the coming month and a half, after being heavily criticized by the treasury benches at a turbulent Senate session, says Minister for Energy Awais Leghari.
In the course of the session, the members of PML-N were highly outraged over the excessive electricity bills. Senator Abid Sher Ali took the Ministry of Energy to task, and asked it to immediately stop shifting the cost of power distribution companies’ incompetence and looting to common people. He wondered why a consumer with 201 units of electricity consumed would be charged on 400 units basis.
Key Highlights of the Senate and Minister’s Stance: In response to the complaints of the legislators, the Energy Minister Awais Leghari said that the efforts of raising the limit for protected consumers to 250 units are already underway and he is hopeful that relief will be extended to consumers in the next six weeks.
He also announced that the house debt has come down to Rs 1,670 billion, with a fixed plan to remove the debt-servicing surcharge in the next four years. Concerns on AI and Social Media: Federal Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry termed the negative use of social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI) an unbridled menace spreading fabricated material. Anusha Rahman also raised the matter of immunity being granted to all social media platforms under the guise of fake propaganda, while Finance Minister Ishaq Dar announced that Pakistan is a founding member of the China-based AI organization, which is set to meet in December.
Minister of State for IT and telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja told the Senate that IT and telecommunication export remittances have crossed the $4.6 billion mark, while the earnings of freelancers have jumped 49.4 percent to $1.16 billion. The meeting ended as there was not a quorum.