HYDERABAD: A joint meeting of various trade organisations was held in Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) on Saturday under the chairmanship of its president, Adeel Siddiqui which decided to observe a complete shutterdown strike on Monday against inflated electricity bills, detection bills, increase in taxes and unannounced loadshedding.

The meeting resolved to observe a dawn-to-dusk strike on Aug 28 besides approaching Sindh High Court against Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) as well. The meeting noted that the “kunda (illegal hooks) mafia which is part of Hesco’s network” needed to be taken to task.

It said that power theft should be dealt with in accordance with law and all those involved in it should be brought to book.

HCCI president Adeel Siddiqui said that severe punishment should be awarded to power thieves and accountability of all should begin at once.

He said that rights of bona fide power consumers must be protected so that they could get electricity from Hesco happily.

HCCI patron Iqbal Hussain Baig said that traders and business community were losing sources of income. He said that the organisations that were facing deficit should be closed because Pakistan’s economy could not afford subsidies any longer.

Participants of the meeting pointed out that economic conditions remained worse. They said that power loadshedding had already increased to eight to 12 hours a day. They said that this was putting extra financial burden on traders and causing losses to them.

They said that tariff of power had been increased and so were taxes. The business community was now forced to sell properties only to pay off their power bills, they said.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2023