Energy Minister Oweis Leghari has stated that the high cost of electricity in the country is not due to Independent Power Producers (IPPs), but rather because of the country’s economic conditions. The depreciating value of the rupee and the high rental costs of power plants are making electricity expensive, and we cannot terminate agreements with IPPs. He also mentioned that the government is trying to persuade IPPs to agree to new terms to reduce electricity costs.
The interim Prime Minister, who was appointed to the significant role due to political expediency, used to represent the Balochistan government and led a simple life according to Baloch traditions. However, his administration, focusing on increasing electricity and gas prices and inflation, did little beyond foreign trips, as he was neither accountable to the public nor running for election.
Thus, his administration severely burdened the public with high inflation due to its wrong decisions, concentrating only on enhancing the popularity of PTI’s founder. The PDM government, particularly the PML-N and JUI-F, suffered the most from these actions, while the PPP, benefiting from Asif Ali Zardari’s strategic planning, gained considerable success. The PPP not only secured its fourth term in Sindh but also won more seats in Punjab and Balochistan. Zardari’s alleged silence and Bilawal Bhutto’s policy of criticizing PML-N in election rallies were successful to some extent, though Bilawal’s dream of becoming Prime Minister was not realized. However, the PPP managed to form a government in Balochistan and re-elected Bilawal Bhutto as Chief Minister, while Zardari could not achieve this for himself.
Zardari’s foresight led him to become President again, and the PPP secured key positions such as the Senate Chairmanship and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, as well as practical governance in some districts of South Punjab. However, under the PML-N government, PPP leaders were kept away from ministries, leaving PML-N to face public criticism. Despite holding significant constitutional positions, the PPP remains unsatisfied and has pressured the PML-N, which holds the federal and Punjab governments, to call a meeting for power-sharing after five months.
On August 14, the Prime Minister announced a reduction in electricity bills, but ten days later, the Energy Minister said that good news regarding electricity would come in two months. The Energy Minister placed the blame for high electricity costs on the country’s economic conditions, which the PML-N, in power for almost 36 months, has not addressed due to fear of the IMF. The PML-N government in Punjab, controlling all powers there, only provided temporary relief for two months to regain popularity.
Gohar Ejaz, a former federal minister from the interim government, has stated that the current government should not jeopardize the country to protect forty families. Due to IPPs, every Pakistani is burdened with high electricity bills, which are a major factor in industries shutting down as they cannot operate at 16 cents per unit. The government is giving 100 billion rupees to IPPs for free. The agreements with IPPs are unprecedented globally and are draining the economy.
After political expediency, former ministers are now revealing that IPPs are responsible for the country’s poor economic conditions, while the current government, due to political convenience, is misleading the public by attributing the problem to economic conditions rather than IPPs. Leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami, political and social figures, industrialists, and public circles are holding IPPs responsible for expensive electricity, a view supported by some PML-N leaders. This indicates that past PPP, PML-N, and PTI governments made harmful and anti-public agreements with IPPs, leading to economic decline, and now the PML-N government is also supporting IPPs. The real responsibility will be revealed in the Supreme Court, where the true extent of the government’s favoritism towards IPPs will be uncovered.