The Punjab government has extended its electricity subsidy to residents of Islamabad, offering a temporary relief plan that will reduce power rates by Rs14 per unit for the months of August and September. This decision follows directives from Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to provide financial relief amid rising electricity costs.
As part of the initiative, electricity distribution companies from Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Multan have been instructed to coordinate with their counterparts in Islamabad to implement the subsidy. The relief will benefit consumers using between 201 and 500 units of electricity, with the subsidy funded through Punjab’s budget.
Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb confirmed that the subsidy is specifically designed for Islamabad residents, with other provinces having the option to offer similar relief from their own budgets.
However, the governments of Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) have declined to provide immediate relief on electricity bills. Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab and K-P’s Finance Advisor Muzzammil Aslam stated that their provincial administrations are unable to offer instant subsidies due to the significant financial burden it would impose.
Wahab, who also serves as the Mayor of Karachi, explained that providing two months of relief in Sindh would cost the government Rs10 billion. Similarly, a relief package in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would require Rs8 billion, while in Balochistan, it would cost Rs1 billion.
Both officials emphasized the need for a permanent solution to rising electricity costs, rather than temporary relief measures. They urged the federal government to develop a long-term strategy to stabilize electricity prices across the country.
