For decades the public at large has been agitating in futility against electricity tariff hikes and power cuts. This summer, bitten by IMF’s withdrawal of multiple concessions to the industry, the elite industrialist and business chambers of the country too have unleashed their wrath against independent power producers (IPPs).

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) announced that it would file a case in the Supreme Court against the “unbearable” capacity charges being paid to IPPs. Piqued by the fact that despite repeated and unrelenting expressions of its concerns and apprehensions, loud and clear, regarding IPPs’ capacity charges, FPCCI leadership says the business community is still not being taken on board for the consultative process to resolve the issue as soon as possible despite being the primary stakeholder of the issue.

On the contrary, however, the Overseas Investors Chambers of Commerce and Industry (OICCI), which represents over 200 multinationals in Trade and Industry in Pakistan, does not support court interventions. M. Abdul Aleem, CEO of OICCI stated: “We always follow logical discussion on complicated and sensitive issues. Court action is not part of our strategy unless there is a blatant violation of our rights or commitment, policy or contract”.

Pakistan Business Council CEO Ehsan Malik advocates regionally competitive industrial power tariffs to promote employment, boost exports, and make manufacturing for the domestic market more affordable.

Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati) President at a press conference this week stated that: “the IPPs are receiving more money than the nation’s defence budget. The interests of the 240 million people of Pakistan should take precedence over the interests of the 40 families running these IPPs.”

The Kati chief demanded the government annul contracts........

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