A vegetable vendor in Bahawalnagar, Punjab, has taken his own life after receiving an inflated electricity bill, according to local police. The distressing incident occurred on Saturday in Tehsil Chishtian.
The victim’s father reported to authorities that his son, overwhelmed by a bill of Rs17,000, consumed poisonous pills to end his life. Despite the tragic event, the father declined to pursue action against the government or the electricity supply department.
This incident is part of a troubling pattern related to excessive electricity bills in Pakistan. On July 23, a man in Gujranwala fatally attacked his younger brother over a dispute concerning an inflated power bill. Just days later, on July 29, an elderly woman in Gujranwala committed suicide after using her savings intended for surgery to pay a Rs10,000 electricity bill. On August 1, another distressed individual in Taxila took his own life by hanging, also due to a substantial electricity bill.
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The recent increase in electricity tariffs, now up to Rs48.84 per unit for domestic consumers, has been implemented by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in compliance with demands from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This hike has significantly impacted inflation-stricken citizens, leading to mounting financial distress.