KARACHI — The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), through its Acting President Qurrat Ul Ain, has urged the government to extend its winter electricity relief package to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) without the 100,000-unit consumption condition from the prior year.
Qurrat Ul Ain suggested that the Rs26/kWh rate apply to all incremental units consumed beyond this threshold, allowing SMEs and newer industries to benefit equally alongside larger companies. She noted that this restriction could hinder the package’s effectiveness by disadvantaging smaller businesses, limiting growth in industrial production and exports.
Highlighting the challenging business climate, she pointed out that 100 textile units in Faisalabad have recently closed due to high operating costs, including elevated electricity rates and a 15% key policy rate. With core inflation at 7.2% in October, she renewed FPCCI’s call for a single-digit interest rate, advocating that the State Bank of Pakistan adopt this measure at the upcoming Monetary Policy Committee meeting.
