Govt mulls raising protected electricity consumers' slab to 300 units

The federal government is considering a proposal to raise the slab of protected electricity consumers from 200 to 300 units in a move to ease the financial burden on lower-income households.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif acknowledged growing public concern over a recent increase in electricity bills particularly from consumers whose usage exceeds 200 units by a small margin.

He noted that those consuming 201 units often face an abrupt increase of around Rs5,000 in their monthly bills, as they are removed from the protected category under current regulations.

Speaking on the issue, the prime minister announced the formation of a high-level committee to consider potential solutions.

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The committee is expected to assess whether the protected consumption bracket can be expanded or whether alternative forms of relief can be introduced for affected consumers.

According to reports, the current policy automatically removes consumers from the protected category if they exceed 200 units, even by a single unit, over a six-month period.

The move can result in a significant cost increase, drawing widespread criticism from households near the consumption threshold.