ISLAMABAD: Condemning the increase in sugar price at Utility Stores and hike in electricity tariff, opposition members belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) on Tuesday submitted separate adjournment motions to the National Assembly Secretariat seeking debate on the matters on the floor of the Parliament.

Chief spokesman for the party Ahsan Iqbal warned that such decisions could ultimately lead to a popular movement against the government.

The government’s decision to increase the price of sugar at the Utility Stores by Rs10 per kg will “make it highly difficult for the general public to make both ends meet,” says the motion submitted by seven PML-N members.

The motion further states: “This (decision) refutes high claims of the government of supplying basic commodities to masses at lower rates through the Utility Stores.”

The PML-N members in their other motion have declared the raise in power tariff by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), on account of fuel cost adjustment, as “unjustified”.

It says: “Nepra has allowed 64 paisa per unit increase in power tariff for consumers of nine distribution companies of Wapda with effect from July 31 on account of monthly fuel cost adjustment.

The increase has registered a cumulative raise of about Rs1.50 per unit in two months, that is, May and June. Since, while determining power tariff, all factors like actual cost of electricity, line losses, transmission charges etc. are considered, therefore, fuel cost adjustment as a separate entity has no justification.”
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