KARACHI: While describing the recent cut in power tariff announced by the federal government as a result of their struggles, the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) have asked the federal government to further reduce the electricity tariff in order to provide `significant` relief to hard-pressed citizens.

Welcoming the decision, both the ally and the opponent of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif`s government have stressed that the federal government`s move `should only be the beginning` of a larger relief package for the inflation-hitmasses.

In their separate press conferences on Friday, the JI and MQM-P leaders agreed that the announced cut was `not enough`.

Speaking to journalists at party headquarters Idara Noor-i-Haq, JI chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman asked the government to further reduce the electricity and petrol prices while calling the Rs7 decrease in electricity prices `a good omen`.

He recalled that at one time the same ruling regime used to say that the accords signed with the independent power producers (IPPs) were `non-negotiable`.

`After our movement, including sitins and a countrywide strike, the government accepted the demands and started negotiations with the IPPs over capacity charges and that too in US dollars,` he said referring to July 2024 weeklong sit-in by the party in Islamabad.

The JI ended the sit-in after reaching an agreement with the government onformation of a task force aimed at addressing the issues related to IPPs and reducing electricity bills.

`Initially, the government was reluctant to pass on the impact of revised agreements with Independent Power Producers [IPPs] to masses but finally the struggle of the common man bore fruits and the government started reducing the tariff.

He said that the country didn`t need expensive electricity with the help of petroleum or imported coal, instead hydel, solar, wind, and nuclear alternatives should be focused.

He asked the prime minister to order forensic audit of IPPs, which he claimed enjoyed Rs1,700 billion tax exemption during the past few years.

Senior MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar on the other hand claimed that it was due to his party`s efforts that the government revised agreements with the IPPs and their benefits were reaching the people and business community.

`Reduction in electricity prices is a historic step that our coalition govern-ment has taken to provide relief to the public and business community,` he told a press conference while flanked by senior party leaders Nasreen Jalil and party legislators.

`The government convinced the State Bank to reduce the interest rate to 12 per cent but we believe there`s a space and possibility of further reduction. Inflation is at its lowest level in history, standing at just 0.7 per cent. So there is strong hope that these positive economic indicators will enable the State Bank to offer business loans under easier conditions, which will further improve the economic and financial situation.

He claimed that the economic development witnessed in the past year was `unprecedented` in the country`s history. The reduction in electricity prices will lower production costs and increase employment, he added.

`The MQM-Pakistan`s efforts led the government to revise agreements with IPPs, and the benefits of this are now reaching the public and business community,` he claimed.