Islamabad: Former caretaker Minister of Commerce Dr. Gohar Ejaz has announced that the FPCCI (Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry) has decided to approach the Supreme Court against the IPP (Independent Power Producers) agreements.
In a tweet on X, he stated that the Chambers of Commerce have decided to take the matter to the Supreme Court.
The FPCCI, being the premier representative body of Pakistan’s business community, will formally file a petition in the Supreme Court to intervene in this intolerable situation affecting every Pakistani’s right to life.
Gohar Ejaz mentioned that under the IPP agreements, Pakistan pays billions to companies that do not produce electricity.
The high cost of electricity has become unbearable for all Pakistanis, pushing citizens into poverty and bankrupting businesses.
He noted that in 2020, former interim energy minister Mohammad Ali had written a detailed report revealing that government incompetence and IPP misrepresentations were causing hundreds of billions in losses, and the report has not yet been fully implemented.
He questioned why the government has not ordered the forensic audit demanded in the report.
He emphasized that the government must decide whether the survival of 240 million Pakistanis is more important than ensuring profits for 40 families.
He stated that the country, rich in resources, only needs to end mismanagement to achieve prosperity. Electricity is a crucial issue for Pakistan’s industries and directly affects the lives of 240 million people.
The former commerce minister added that Pakistan cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes in a few years just because a new group of “investors” wants to make money without doing anything.