The recent hike in power tariff would not only inflate the electricity bills for the consumers but also cause the tsunami of dearness to erupt. The middle class is already unable to cope with the challenge of dearness what to speak of the poor. The tariff hike is tantamount to targeting the people with the power bomb. This is anti-people and unjust move.

These views were expressed by Chaudhry Afzal Gujjar, president of Pakistan Awami Tehreek Lahore while addressing a demonstration of PAT and MQI at Muslim Town held to protest the hike in tariff. The hundreds of people participated in the rally. They were holding placards with anti-hike slogans written on them.

Afzal Gujjar said that the government should have reduced the power tariff instead of raising it in order to give people a breathing space. He said that the resultant hike would make it almost next to impossible for people to make their both ends meet.

Irshad Tahir, Amir-e-Tehreek Lahore, said in his speech that past two years have seen a phenomenal increase of 60% in the power rates. He said that contrary to this, people’s incomes had registered a downward trend. He demanded of the government to reverse the decision because it is beyond people’s capacity to pay such hefty bills. He said that there was a need to put an end to the practice of hiking power, gas and petroleum rates after every ten days.

The protestors raised slogans against dearness and asked the government to take urgent steps to contain dearness in the country.