THE decision by ECC to increase gas prices by a staggering 50 per cent for domestic consumers is yet another heavy blow to already overburdened households.
With utility bills already far beyond the reach of the common man, this new hike will only exacerbate the daily struggles of millions. It is deeply unfortunate that the government, in its apparent bid to meet International Monetary Fund (IMF) requirements, has chosen to pass such a significant financial burden onto the very people it is meant to serve.
This decision comes at the cost of crushing both households and industries. The fact remains that increased energy costs will inevitably lead to a rise in production costs. This will severely undermine the competitiveness of our exports — the very sector the government claims it wants to strengthen in order to achieve sustainable economic growth. Higher gas tariffs will only discourage industrial output, especially in energy-intensive sectors and could result in job losses or even closures in some cases. The government must recognize that economic reforms under the IMF program, while necessary, must not come at the cost of national productivity and public welfare. There is a dire need to strike a balance between fulfilling obligations and safeguarding the interests of our people and industries. We urge the government to reconsider this drastic hike and look for alternative means of revenue generation that do not squeeze the lifeblood out of ordinary citizens and businesses. The ECC has also decided to leave the issue of sugar import to a political committee. This annual ritual of exporting sugar only to later import it reeks of manipulation. Year after year, the so-called sugar mafia benefits from these artificially created cycles of scarcity and surplus, while the public pays the price. This pattern must end. The government must resist pressure from vested interests and put in place a transparent, accountable and rational policy that ensures sugar security without playing into the hands of profiteers. The public deserves better. It is time for the government to prioritize the welfare of people over the interests of powerful lobbies. True reform must begin with fiscal discipline, broadening the tax base, curbing inefficiencies in public enterprises and eliminating leakages — not by relentlessly punishing the very people who keep the country running.
