ISLAMABAD – Pakistanis who are already overburdened with one tax after another will now have to pay foot the bill for the security of the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, after approval by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).
According to Nepra’s order, the government will now receive one per cent of the tariff of consumed electricity on account of CEPE security for 20 to 30 years.
The Nepra has decided this following a summary approved by the ECC on the recommendation of the Ministry of Water and Power in September 2016.
The security cost of 19 power projects of CPEC has been estimated at Rs17 billion, while Nepra has estimated the yearly cost at Rs315 million.
The Nepra has issued an approval despite the reservations showed by various stakeholders, sponsors of power projects and consumers that providing this security was the responsibility of the state and it could not be received from consumers.
It is notable that Pakistan Army has set up a second Special Security Division to ensure the security of the projects under CPEC.
