ISLAMABAD, July 16(ABC): Ahead of the by-poll in 20 constituencies of Punjab scheduled to be held tomorrow (Sunday), the government has made deliberate efforts to avoid hiking gas and electricity tariffs.
The increase in electricity and gas tariffs, which is to be announced in order to comply with the conditions laid forth by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has not been notified yet, reported.
The federal cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a day earlier also did not take up the issue under consideration.
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had partially approved the hike in gas tariff for different slabs ranging from 43 to 353%. The number of slabs was reduced from seven to five.
However, when contacted, Federal Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed that the federal cabinet did not give its nod on increasing the gas tariff on Friday.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Miftah Ismail told the publication after the cabinet meeting that they had sent the summary back to the Ministry of Petroleum to bring some changes in the summary for some of the sectors due to which the calculation got changed.
Hence, the summary was referred back with the direction to make fresh calculations. He also confirmed that the federal cabinet did not take up the hike in gas tariff in Friday’s meeting.
Under the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (OGRA) Amended Act, there is a defined period of 40 days after the determination of tariff by the regulator following which the determined tariff would become applicable automatically.