Electricity prices would increase by up to nine per cent, but if the interest rate does not rise, there would be a three per cent reduction in electricity tariffs in January, Power Minister Awais Leghari said on Friday.

“There are not many problems in the IESCO region. We hope to succeed in addressing the ongoing issues in other areas,” he said in his Senate speech.

The minister claimed that the rights of any province were not being affected and the government was providing electricity to agricultural consumers in Balochistan for up to three hours and it was ready to supply 10 megawatts to the province.

Losses on electricity lines could be reduced, he said and added that the government would provide a subsidy of Rs440 billion, which would result in an increase of two per cent to nine per cent for domestic consumers. “After January, electricity prices will decrease, and there will be an increase in the range of 7% to 9% for domestic consumers.”