The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has concluded its hearing on a proposal to increase electricity rates for Karachi’s consumers by Rs 3.09 per unit.

K-Electric submitted the request as part of July’s monthly fuel price adjustment, citing rising fuel costs as the reason behind the proposed hike. If approved, this adjustment could result in an additional burden of approximately Rs 6.20 billion on the city's electricity users.

The potential increase has raised concerns among various stakeholders, including consumer rights groups and industry associations.

The Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) questioned why K-Electric’s fuel cost adjustment (FCA) is significantly higher than that of other distribution companies (DISCOs) across the country, whose recent FCAs have seen a reduction.

KATI called for an investigation into the discrepancy, urging transparency and fairness in the pricing mechanism.

Consumers in Karachi have echoed these concerns, demanding an end to the disparity in fuel prices between government-run DISCOs and K-Electric.

Many residents have expressed frustration over what they perceive as an unjustified increase in electricity costs, especially in light of the economic pressures already faced by households and businesses.

A local citizen urged NEPRA to take action against what he described as the exploitation of electricity users, calling on the regulatory body to safeguard the interests of the public.

Shahid Imran, a representative of Jamaat-e-Islami, also voiced strong opposition to the proposed hike, criticizing K-Electric for consistently charging some of the highest electricity rates in the country.

He called on NEPRA to reject the request, arguing that Karachi's consumers should not bear the brunt of inefficiencies in the power supply chain.