Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor has said that very costly electricity has left Pakistani people with no option but to adopt alternate solar energy, urging the government to provide solar panels free of cost to the low-income people through Benazir Income Support Program.
He said in a few next month’s sixty to seventy percent population of the country would not be able to afford costly electricity and they would face darkness if the solar energy option is not utilized by them.
He said solar panels are not made locally and imported from China and other countries. He said historic depreciation of the Pakistani rupee has made these solar panels costly and they are beyond the reach of the poor masses. He suggested that two solar panels should be given to each low income families through Benazir Income Support Program or any other public welfare scheme.
He said State Bank of Pakistan should order all commercial banks to give soft loans for purchase of solar panels on emergency basis. He said Pakistan not only needs an economic emergency but also an electricity emergency as riots are expected in whole country when electricity bills would become unbearable due to skyrocketing electricity tariffs.
He demanded to generate more electricity from nuclear source as well as local Thar coal as imported fuel to make electricity is no more feasible for Pakistani people.
Separately, PDP last evening staged a big protest demo against huge hike in oil prices.
Addressing the demo at UP More, PDP vice chairman Abdul Hakim Quaid said the present and past governments have done nothing for the poor masses. He said people have rejected these merciless rulers. He said oil prices have increased thrice within 20 days which in unacceptable. He said the rulers want that the poor masses should die of hunger.
He asked the government to end the lavish expenses of its ministers and bureaucracy and give relief to the masses. He asked the government to buy petrol from any country that is willing to sell it on lower prices. He condemned increasing interference of IMF and other international lenders in internal matters of Pakistan and asked the government to reject foreign dictation.
