The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has thrown its weight behind the planned shutdown protest set for September 1, 2023, against the surge in electricity bills.
Zubair Motiwala, Chairman of the Businessmen Group and former KCCI President, announced a daylong strike to be observed at the KCCI on Friday to vehemently oppose the inflated electricity bills, which have become a burden for both businesses and the general populace.
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Motiwala, speaking to the media during an emergency meeting held at KCCI’s parking lot and attended by nearly a thousand representatives from various commercial markets in Karachi and industrial town associations, urged the business community to stand in solidarity with KCCI by participating in the strike. The aim is to compel the government to address the hardships faced by traders, shopkeepers, small industries, SMEs, and the lower-income population due to skyrocketing inflation.
The Vice Chairmen of the Businessmen Group, Haroon Farooki and Jawed Bilwani, General Secretary AQ Khalil, KCCI President Mohammed Tariq Yousuf, Senior Vice President Touseef Ahmed, Vice President Haris Agar, former presidents, Chairman of the Special Committee for Small Traders Majeed Memon, Managing Committee Members, and representatives from industrial town associations and commercial markets, including those from Rawalpindi, Quetta, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and other Chambers of Commerce, also participated in the meeting via Zoom.
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Motiwala emphasized that it is possible to reduce the electricity tariff within the conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He mentioned that the Karachi Chamber can provide recommendations to the government in this regard, which, if effectively implemented, could lower the per-unit cost by at least Rs12. He highlighted that the current high electricity tariff has escalated the cost of doing business to unprecedented levels, rendering Pakistani exports uncompetitive in international markets, and pushing the prices of essential goods beyond the reach of the average citizen.
Motiwala unequivocally stated that the current electricity tariff is unacceptable to everyone, as it makes it impossible to sustain industries, businesses, and even households under the burden of exorbitant electricity bills. He held the government accountable for the prevailing unbearable wave of inflation, as there have been no negotiations with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to lower the excessively high rate of 17 cents per unit, nor have taxes been reduced.
Motiwala referred to a recent meeting with the Energy Minister and indicated that a solution for addressing the high electricity tariff has been presented to the government, based on five key points. He expressed hope that the government would consider these suggestions to provide relief to the entire nation. Additionally, he proposed that the government increase the lifeline usage threshold from the current 200 units to 400 units, which would alleviate the burden on a significant portion of the population.
Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, who joined the meeting via Zoom from abroad, pledged to hold a meeting with the Caretaker Prime Minister upon his return to Pakistan on September 1, 2023, to seek an amicable resolution to the electricity tariff issue.
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All meeting participants, including representatives of commercial markets and industrial town associations, wholeheartedly endorsed KCCI’s decision to stage a strike and expressed their unwavering support by closing their businesses on Friday to protest against the soaring electricity bills that threaten the viability of numerous businesses.
