Bijli Sahulat Package: Electricity consumers to get relief in winter season

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the Bijli Sahulat Package on Friday, providing significant relief in electricity bills for Pakistani consumers during the winter months of December, January, and February. The package, introduced during an event celebrating Youm-e-Iqbal, is set to benefit millions by offering relief of up to Rs 26 per unit for domestic users and up to Rs 22.71 per unit for commercial consumers.

Under this package, industrial consumers will also receive up to Rs 15.05 per unit relief over the three winter months. The initiative is intended to ease the financial burden on consumers as energy needs change in colder weather.

The Power Division clarified that the relief would apply to additional electricity consumption compared to the previous year. Consumers using up to 25% more electricity than their reference benchmark will qualify for the Bijli Sahulat Package.

In related developments, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has been advised to raise electricity tariffs nationwide, including in Karachi. The proposed adjustment, as part of the quarterly tariff update, could place an additional burden of Rs 8.73 billion on consumers amid already high energy costs. A request submitted to NEPRA seeks to increase rates for the first quarter of the current fiscal year, with a hearing scheduled for November 20.