The power crisis in Pakistan has deepened as the electricity shortfall has gone up to 7,000 megawatts on Wednesday.
According to power division sources, power demand is 29,000 megawatts, while production lags at 22,000mw.
The gap between demand and supply of electricity has reached 7,000 megawatts. Meanwhile, the loadsheeding of 4 to 6 hours is being carried out across the country, the sources said.
On Tuesday, the federal cabinet approved jacking up electricity prices by Rs7.91 per unit.
Addressing a news conference along with Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik in Islamabad on Tuesday, Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir said there will be an increase of 3.50 rupees per unit from 26th of this month. There will be another increase of 3.50 rupees per unit from next month whilst in the month of October, the tariff will be increased by ninety paisa per unit.
Dastgir said increase in the electricity tariff will not have an impact on the poorest consumers. He said the consumers are already paying a big portion of this increase in the form of fuel surcharge. He said this fuel surcharge will now be reflected in the tariff.—INP
