ISLAMABAD, AUG 16 (DNA) — Former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt, said on Friday that an immediate resolution to the IPPs issue is necessary to avoid nationwide turmoil.
He said the issue should be prioritized because the public’s outrage over inflated bills is steadily growing, and businesses face difficulties. Speaking to the business community, Shahid Rasheed Butt said that things could change suddenly and that authorities may or may not be able to control them; therefore, the matter should be resolved.
He asserted that forcing ordinary people to pay electricity rates that exceeded their income would lead to severe problems. The business leader emphasized that capacity payments penalize the public and disrupt business activities.
Shahid Rasheed Butt asserted that the government could lower taxes or tariffs and benefit the public because it controls more than half of the IPPs established in the country. He warned that the difficulties of public risk unrest as most people and businesspeople believe the government could resolve this issue.
He emphasized that the government should cut its soaring non-developmental spending to ease the anger of those who are furious about their electricity bills. The number of impoverished individuals is increasing, surpassing the current 40%, and it is time to establish a fair distribution of wealth.
He declared that the country is on the verge of chaos, and it is imperative to conduct a forensic audit of IPPs and stop the wastage of resources so that the public and businesses can get a break. — DNA
 — Former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr. Shahid Rasheed){kind=link}