PML-N leader demands power tariff raise be withdrawn.

LAHORE -- PML-N leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail has demanded the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government withdraw the Rs1.95 increase in power tariff, calling it a robbery of Rs200 billion from the masses.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, Mr Ismail said the PML-N had left the power corridors with Rs1.036 trillion circular debt that included power deficit and bank loans. However, he regretted, the debt had now surged to Rs2.4 trillion.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had increased power tariff soon after coming to power so that the circular debt did not increase, and eventually claimed that it had come down to zero. However, he said, the amount was increasing by Rs50bn to Rs60bn every month.

'Annually, the circular debt is increasing by around Rs600bn,' he stated and added that the major reason was losses in power supply and distribution.

'When the PML-N came to power in 2013, 21 per cent electricity was being wasted that was reduced to 18pc,' he claimed, adding that the Imran Khan government had yet again raised these losses to 19pc, causing Rs15bn loss on average.

The former finance minister said the PML-N had collected 93pc power bills on average, which came down to...