ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Friday announced an increase of around 20 percent in the uniform power tariff to generate Rs3.8 trillion in funds for 10 power distribution companies (discos) during the fiscal year 2024-25, amid Pakistan’s talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new bailout program.
The Rs5.72 per unit increase, which will take effect from July 1 after the government issues a formal notification, will provide Rs485 billion in additional revenue to discos and strengthen the government’s position in securing an IMF bailout in July.
Islamabad is currently locked in talks with the IMF for a longer-term bailout of around $8 billion after the last $3 billion helped Pakistan avert a sovereign default in June last year. Pakistan is expected to formally request for the program in the coming weeks.
NEPRA said the total Power Purchase Price (PPP) of ex-WAPDA distribution companies (XWDISCOs) for FY 2024-25 worked out as Rs3,277 billion, which includes Rs1,161 billion for fuel & variable cost and Rs2,116 billion as capacity charges.
“The capacity charges translate into Rs.6,957/kW/month, based on projected average monthly MDI of 25,348 MW. Thus, the capacity charges works out as around 65 percent of the total projected PPP of XWDISCOs, whereas energy cost is around 35 percent of the total projected PPP,” it said in a circular.
“In terms of average per unit PPP of XWDISCOs on unit purchased basis i.e. before adjustment of allowed T&D losses of XWDISCOs, capacity charges works out as Rs. 17.66/kWh, whereas energy charges are Rs.9.69/kWh, totaling to Rs.27.35IkWh for the FY 2024-25.”
The national average power purchase price works out as Rs.27.00/kWh, according to NEPRA. The generation cost is transferred to the DISCOs as per the prescribed mechanism.
Under the last IMF bailout, Pakistan was told to prevent further accumulation of circular debt in its power sector, arising from subsidies and unpaid bills. For a new program, the South Asian nation will need to implement reforms to reduce costs by improving electricity transmission and distribution, moving captive power into the grid, improving governance, and combating theft.
It will also have to maintain power and gas tariffs at levels that ensure cost recovery, with adjustments made to safeguard the financially vulnerable, through existing progressive tariff structures.
The government has the authority to make adjustments with different rates of increases for various consumer categories without affecting the overall revenue requirement determined by NEPRA.
Pakistan regulator increases power tariff by 20 percent amid new bailout talks with IMF
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Pakistan regulator increases power tariff by 20 percent amid new bailout talks with IMF
- The Rs5.72 per unit increase, which will take effect from July 1, will provide Rs485 billion in additional revenue to distribution companies
- Under last bailout, IMF told Pakistan to prevent further accumulation of circular debt in power sector, arising from subsidies and unpaid bills
Pakistan Supreme Court halts trial of prominent lawyer over alleged anti-military tweets
- Top court orders lower court to pause proceedings after lawyers allege due-process breaches
- Mazari-Hazir, husband face charges under cybercrime law that carry up to 14 years in prison
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Thursday halted the cybercrime trial of prominent human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, after their lawyers argued that a lower court had recorded witness testimony in their absence, violating due-process rules.
Mazari-Hazir, one of Pakistan’s most outspoken civil liberties lawyers, and Chattha are being prosecuted under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) over posts on X that authorities say incited ethnic divisions and portrayed the military as involved in “terrorism.” Both reject the allegations. If convicted under the relevant PECA provision, they face a prison term of up to 14 years.
The case has drawn broad attention in Pakistan’s legal community because Mazari-Hazir, who has been repeatedly detained over her criticism of the security establishment, argues that the trial court ignored basic procedural guarantees despite her medical leave request. The case also comes as Pakistan faces sustained scrutiny over the use of PECA against activists, journalists and political dissenters, with lawyers arguing that lower courts often move ahead without meeting minimum fair-trial standards.
The couple’s lawyer, Riasat Ali Azad, said his clients filed a petition in the Supreme Court because the lower court had moved ahead improperly.
“Today, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has stayed the lower court proceedings, the trial court proceedings and has said that the [Islamabad] High Court should decide our pending revision petition for which a date has already been fixed,” he told reporters.
Azad said the violation was clear under Pakistan’s Code of Criminal Procedure, which requires evidence to be recorded in the presence of the accused.
“Yet, on that very day, evidence of four witnesses was recorded in their absence, and a state counsel was appointed to conduct cross-examination on their behalf,” he said. “All these things are against the right to a fair trial under Articles 10 and 10-A.”
A three-judge bench led by Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar ordered the trial court to pause proceedings and instructed the Islamabad High Court to hear the couple’s pending criminal revision petition first.
The trial had been scheduled to resume on Dec.15, but the Supreme Court’s stay now freezes proceedings before both the additional sessions judge and the special PECA court.
The Islamabad High Court is expected to hear the criminal revision petition next week.
Chattha, who is also a lawyer, said the SC ruling underscored the need for procedural safeguards.
“It is a victory for the constitution and the law,” he said, arguing that the trial court had ignored their request to re-record witness statements in their presence.
