Speaking exclusively on Aaj News program *Aaj with Rana Mubashir, the former prime minister said that the power tariff would soar every month due to the fuel surcharge which is adjusted according to the petroleum prices in the global market.

On Thursday, Nepra forwarded its tariff determination to the government, stating that the tariff had been determined for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which on national average was Rs24.82 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), higher by Rs7.9078 per kWh than the earlier determined national average tariff of Rs16.91 per kWh.

The increase of Rs7.9078 per kWh is mainly due to an increase in fuel prices, capacity cost and the impact of rupee devaluation.

Speaking about the hike in petroleum prices, the PML-N leader said the coalition government was providing fuel to consumers below its purchase price. “Even the incumbent government did not impose any levy and sales tax,” the PML-N leader added.

“There is no country in the world that provides fuel to consumers below the purchase price.”

Abbasi alleges the Imran Khan-led government of giving subsidies by getting additional loans from international institutions.

On Thursday, the government had announced an immediate increase of Rs30 in the prices of petroleum products in a bid to strike a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The PML-N leader said that there was still a difference of up to Rs 10 in the price of petrol which will now be decided by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA).

The PML-N leader said that the government would complete its term, adding that the PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif decided that his party should continue to govern. “Now I do not think that the government will decide to go for early elections,” he added.