KARACHI: Abdul Rehman Fudda, president of the SITE Association of Industry, has voiced serious concern over the recent increase in electricity tariffs and the abrupt suspension of gas supply to industries for two consecutive days. The disruption, he said, was attributed to the absence of RLNG cargoes from Qatar, as reported by Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC).
The SAI president pointed out that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) had already raised electricity tariffs twice last year — by 33 paisa per unit for the July-September 2025 quarter and by 35 paisa per unit for October-December 2025. Nepra has now approved a further increase of Rs1.6274 per unit for distribution companies, including KE, to recover an additional Rs14 billion under the fuel charges adjustment (FCA) mechanism for January 2026.
The industrial community warned that the latest tariff revision would place a heavy burden on KE consumers across the board, adding billions of rupees to operating costs and threatening industrial productivity in the city.
Industrialists said that while the government’s policy vision emphasises providing utilities to industry at competitive rates, the situation on the ground reflects the opposite, undermining that objective. They argued that the recent increase in electricity tariffs has largely offset the impact of the Rs4.4 per unit reduction announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the end of January, a move aimed at boosting productivity and exports.
Adding to the challenge, Pakistan’s inability to secure RLNG cargoes from Qatar amid the current geopolitical situation has created a supply-side bottleneck in the SSGC network, forcing cuts in gas supply to industries. This comes alongside restrictions on offtake from local gas fields, prioritised in favour of pre-committed RLNG deliveries.
Industrial representatives have urged SSGC to immediately resume offtake from domestic gas fields to prevent further disruption to industrial operations.Fudda warned that Pakistan’s lack of energy security, driven by both internal and external factors, is placing severe strain on an already burdened industrial sector. He urged the government to address the issue urgently, noting that continued disruptions could further depress industrial output, which had already shown signs of decline in February 2026, according to media reports.
