In a major announcement, Prime Minister and President of Pakistan Muslim League (N), Nawaz Sharif has unveiled a massive relief package for the people of Punjab by announcing relief on electricity consumption. ‘People, specially the ones using up to 500 units of electricity, will now have to pay a relief of Rs 14 per unit.’ Stating the same at a press conference in Lahore, he said relief had been given specifically during the hot summer days so that people do not feel the financial burden of electricity.

 Sharif salutes work of former PM Shehbaz Sharif had given mega relief to publicIn her celebratory speech, Maryam Nawaz, chief minister of Punjab, expanded her plan even further to help the citizens by further extending the relief up to 500 units.

Maryam Nawaz’s Vision for Energy Relief

 Nawaz Sharif praised Maryam Nawaz for taking the initiative to help the people cope with electricity prices hikes. He remarked that the relief package the government would announce on Monday was designed to help the people during August and September, the hottest months in which electricity bills increase. Those whose consumption varies in between 1 to 500 units would gain a remarkable 14 Rs. deduction in their electricity bills.

 Moreover, the prime minister also highlighted the fact that Maryam Nawaz is also working upon a solar panel scheme in order to further reduce the electricity bill for the general public at even more subsidized rates by providing solar panels. In this regard, he said, ‘ the government is planning to allocate Rs 700 billion for this revolutionary project followed by a generational long reduction in the electricity bill at home.’ 

Financial Commitment to Public Relief

 To this effect, Nawaz Sharif had announced to spend Rs. 45 billion for the electricity relief package while assuring the nation that this government program, if implemented promptly, would considerably relieve the public and cut-short their monthly expenditures. He urged the former Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab government to synergise their efforts in the solar energy department to be more fainancial beneficence to the citizens.

 Sharif then turned to broader economic challenges: ‘Our heartache and concern are for common man who has to live with skyrocketing inflation, particularly electricity bills’: Eight years ago [2017], my government was in power. At that point, economic circumstances were so much better in this country. Electricity bills were much lower, income was higher, and man could live with some comfort.

Criticism of Economic Mismanagement

 In his address, Nawaz Sharif pointed to economic mismanagement as one of the root causes for why people’s situation is currently so dire. Sharif’s government used to maintain control over the Pakistani rupee, he said, and kept prices low and inflation at bay; he was unceremoniously dumped out of office, he contends, merely to see the economy go to the dogs, and judges with no case forced out of office in order to pave the way for the economic decline. He accused the same judges of removing him from office frivolously.

 Sharif would not for a moment hold back from criticising the policies of the post-Mian governments – and later of Imran Khan who had called him ‘thief’. Nawaz Sharif charged Imran with welcoming the IMF back from the very first day of his term in office, and allowing a ruinous devaluation in the exchange rate of the rupee. He explained that, while his government was ‘relieving itself’ of the UN agency, the economy was poised for a recovery.

Reflection on Achievements and Future Plans

 In closing his speech, Nawaz pointed to his government’s ending the electricity load-shedding, his government’s achievement and the sava-dil moment of generosity. He explained to the bemused crowd how Pakistan cornered the Chinese to build these power plants over a remarkably short time. To whom was he speaking? Why the homilies on gratitude? Nawaz was taking a classic sava-dil moment and turning it on its head – into an almost literary ninja-move. He made sense. He made every single crumbling, desperate, lying, frightening sense. He was suddenly saying: I’m the beneficiary, but it’s those guys, those Chinese, who really came through for us. 

 Nawaz Sharif said that in his time the cost of living was a lot less, electricity was cheaper, and vegetables and other basic necessities cost less, and people’s life was much easier: utility bills were lower, at the end of each month there were savings, and now the cost of living has shot up and people are finding it hard to make ends meet.

Conclusion

 He ended his speech by imploring the rioter not to fall prey to those who mismanaged the economy: My government has always been at the forefront in pursuing the development of the general public … My government has taken the country out of the brink of economic collapse and made it stable …I will continue my struggle for the country and its people and when I am given the mandate, I will bring the country back on the way of progress and prosperity.During his speech, Sharif never referred to the army as a patron, instead he used the term ‘doors’, which signifies that the army must abide by certain principles in its relationship with a civilian government, rather than just being an entity that ‘backs the throne and assists the public’, as its official motto in Urdu states. Sharif hinted at these principles when he said that he ‘spared no effort in maintaining good relations with the people of the Army’. However, there seems to be a subtle misunderstanding here, since it is probably too much to expect the army to enjoy a close alliance with a government that is judged so harshly. In fact, one could say Nawaz Sharif overstepped the mark when he spoke about his government prioritising the ‘development of the general public’, since that title belongs to the army.

 This statement is of the new announcement of relief package in electricity on the electricity asks is set to lose Nawaz Sharif determination to immediate help the people of Punjab, where the country economy, questions like these can help to make appear hopes for a future where people can be with dignity and financial security.

Sources : https://www.dawn.com/news/1852660/pml-n-supremo-nawaz-sharif-announces-drop-in-power-tariffs-for-punjab

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