Karachi Residents Struggle with High Electricity Bills and Taxes from K-Electric

Residents of Karachi, Pakistan, are facing severe financial difficulties due to high electricity bills and additional taxes imposed by K-Electric, the city’s main electricity provider. Many people, like Muhammad Javed and Yasir, are expressing their frustration over the rising costs, which are making it hard to afford basic necessities.

Muhammad Javed, a resident, said, “The government should not impose taxes; the poor people are already suffering as there is no business. Everyone is troubled, and they are sending such high bills. People live in rented houses with rents of 12,000 rupees, and the electricity bill alone is as much as 12,000 to 15,000 rupees. A labourer’s salary is around 30,000-35000 PKR. Now, will that poor person pay the bills or feed his children? This government and K-Electric are being unjust; they are oppressing the people. There is a lot of injustice happening to the public.”

Another resident, Yasir, echoed similar sentiments, saying, “Our bills are increasing every month, and because of this, we are unable to pay them. Our monthly salary is 35,000 PKR, and even that is earned through daily wages. When we look at our household expenses, there’s barely any money left to pay the bills. We’re getting a bill of 12,000 PKR for a two-room house where only two fans and two sewing machines are used. How can a bill of 12,000 PKR come for running just one washing machine once a month? We can’t afford to pay for this. The government is failing to resolve our issues.”

The challenges faced by Karachi residents extend beyond just the financial strain of power hikes. The city continues to endure prolonged hours of load-shedding, further exacerbating the daily hardships of its residents. Iqbal, another resident, expressed his frustration with the situation, calling for immediate action. “I want to tell the government that K-Electric is committing a lot of injustices in Karachi. We are paying taxes on everything, yet we are facing 12-hour-long load-shedding. Where should we go? The electricity bills are outrageously high, ranging from 25,000 to 30,000 PKR, while our salaries are just 35,000 PKR. What are we supposed to do? Remove K-Electric and bring in another company.”

The discontent among Karachi’s residents is fueled by K-Electric’s recent proposal for an electricity price hike. According to a Pakistani media outlet, K-Electric has requested an additional PKR 5.45 per unit under the monthly Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) mechanism. This proposal includes a PKR 2.53 per unit increase for May and a PKR 2.92 per unit increase for June, both attributed to rising fuel costs. The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is currently reviewing the request and considering feedback from stakeholders before making a final decision.

As Karachi’s residents brace for the outcome of NEPRA’s decision, many are left wondering how they will continue to manage the rising costs of living and the constant disruptions to their daily lives caused by frequent power outages.