Mustafa Kamal Proposes Solution to High Electricity Prices, Calls for Uniform Rates Nationwide

KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Mustafa Kamal on Saturday called for a uniform electricity price across the country and presented a plan to reduce the cost of electricity during a press conference in Karachi.

Kamal highlighted that, instead of resorting to protests, MQM-P has proposed a practical solution to address the issue of inflated electricity bills. He claimed that Pakistan has the capability to generate over 45,000 megawatts of electricity, which exceeds the country’s current requirements. However, the national transmission lines can only handle 22,000 to 25,000 megawatts, creating a bottleneck in the system.

To alleviate the burden on consumers, Kamal suggested that the government should engage in discussions with local and public independent power producers (IPPs), who collectively account for 80% of the country’s power generation. He proposed that initial negotiations focus on the 30% local and 50% public IPPs, as these entities have already profited significantly from their operations. He suggested setting aside the 20% foreign IPPs for the time being due to their binding international agreements.

Following successful negotiations with local and public IPPs, Kamal advised the government to also initiate talks with foreign IPPs, urging them to consider the prevailing economic situation in Pakistan.

In addition, Kamal proposed the privatization of electricity distribution companies and the issuance of licenses to multiple companies within the same region to enhance competition and efficiency.

The MQM-P leader also criticized Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif for announcing electricity price relief exclusively for Punjab, calling for equitable treatment for all provinces.