ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave a 24-hour ultimatum to the power distribution companies on Friday to revise the electricity bills of up to 200 units, adjusting the relief under the fuel adjustment charge (FAC) announced by the government.

“Banks should also be directed to remain open in the coming days to enable the consumers to pay their revised electricity bills,” he said while presiding over a meeting to address the issues faced by the power consumers. The premier also constituted a committee on the matter.

Read more: Explained: Pakistan’s fuel adjustment charges

The development comes after the federal government exempted over 17 million electricity consumers from the FAC and traders from the fixed tax on Tuesday. It had also formed a committee to fix the responsibility on those who had imposed the fixed tax on traders against the government’s decision and policy.

“The government will bear a gap of Rs42 billion by withdrawing the fixed tax,” he had said about the decision which was taken after consultations with PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, International Monetary Fund and coalition partners.

Power Minister Khurram Dastgir next day explained that the relief in August billing would only apply to consumers who use under 200 units of electricity. Agricultural electricity users would also be exempted from the charges.

PM Shehebaz instructed that staffers of the distribution companies should work round the clock to ensure the revision of electricity bills. PM Shehbaz asked authorities concerned to cancel the leaves of all the staffers and present him a compliance report “immediately”.

Officials said that implementation of the relief package announced by the prime minister was being ensured. The electricity bills of around 16.6 million were being “corrected” to provide them relief under the FAC, they added.

The PM instructed the authorities concerned to ensure the execution of the relief measures announced by the government.

KE revises bills, consumers will only pay Rs3.8972 per unit in August bills

Revised bills of “non time-of-use (Non-ToU)” residential consumers, with revised electricity bills for the month of August who have electricity consumption of equal to or less than 200 units, of K-Electric would be available from today (Friday).

“It can be collected from KE’s operational customer centres across the city,” it said in a statement. “Agricultural customers in KE territory are also eligible under the government’s FCA relief.”

It added that the government directed XWDISCOs and KE to implement the following with immediate effect: “a) Non-ToU domestic (protected) consumers having ≤ 200 units consumption would only pay Rs3.8972/Unit in August 2022 billing month. b) Non-ToU Domestic (non-protected) consumers having ≤ 200 units consumption and Private Agriculture consumers shall not pay any FCA in August 2022 billing month.”

The bill due date for August bills has also been extended to 30th. The customer care centres would remain open for extended hours this week, it said, adding that extended timings for Friday and Saturday were till 8pm, while on Sunday, such centres would be open to facilitate customers till 5pm.