The provincial government of the NWFP and the business community of the province have rejected a higher increase in the power tariff as specified by the National Electricity and Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).

They deplored the higher raise for NWFP, which is the leading electricity-producing province of the country.

In their recent assessment for power distribution companies, NEPRA has specified an increase of 86 paisa per unit of electric power in Peshawar (NWFP) – at least twice of each of the assessed figures for cities in other provinces.

Condemning NEPRA’s assessment, the Provincial Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain called the assessment as akin to rubbing salt in the wounds of the province’s people. He said that NEPRA had gone blind on the prevailing peace crisis in the province and the resulting sufferings that have afflicted the people. Instead, it is committing discrimination against the power-producing province.

The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry also denounced NEPRA’s decision on the power tariff issue. The President of the Chamber, S.A. Mubarak, called NEPRA’s measure a conspiracy against NWFP. He told news sources that the chamber had already filed a writ with NEPRA against the monthly increase in power tariff by distribution companies.