Telecom operators have expressed their approval of the government’s recent move to lower electricity tariffs for general consumers, but they are disappointed that the IT and telecom sectors were not included in this reduction.
The decrease of Rs. 7.41 per unit for general consumers is seen as a positive step, yet telecom operators feel that their industry deserves more attention.
Kamal Ahmed, General Secretary of the Telecom Operators Association, shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with ProPakistani. He highlighted that while the government has offered relief to various sectors, such as poultry, the telecom industry has not received similar support. Even though the telecom sector was designated as an “industry” in 2004, it still grapples with high operational costs due to the absence of tariff reductions for essential services.
Operators are particularly frustrated that data centers, which are crucial to the IT and telecom sectors, were not included in the tariff cut. “Surprisingly, data centers and telecom companies were overlooked in this reduction,” Ahmed remarked, stressing the vital role these centers play in sustaining the country’s digital infrastructure. “How can we achieve the vision of Digital Pakistan if key sectors like ours are burdened with such financial challenges?” he added.
The four leading cellular operators—Telenor, Ufone, Jazz, and Zong—backed by the Ministry of IT, have been pushing for a revision of the tariff structure for years. They have consistently urged the government to adopt a tariff system that reflects the industry’s “industrial” status, which would significantly lower costs for telecom operators. These companies argue that being charged commercial rates instead of industrial rates is an unjust practice.
The recent news of a decrease in electricity tariffs from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has brought relief to both residential and commercial users. The Prime Minister announced that the rate for residential consumers will drop by Rs. 7.41 per unit, lowering it to Rs. 34.37 per unit. Likewise, commercial users will see a reduction of Rs. 7.59 per unit in their tariffs.
However, the telecom sector has not benefited from these reductions. Operators in this industry have expressed their intention to address this matter with the Ministry of IT and other relevant authorities, advocating for the introduction of an industrial tariff for their sector.
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