Report — 13 September 2022

Faisalabad rally against electricity tariffs; owners cite thousands of closures

Summary

At a Faisalabad rally, leaders including a Powerloom Owners Association president claimed thousands of factories had closed due to electricity costs and warned of a larger, city-wide protest if tariffs were not cut. Organizers argued industrial units were paying levels that made operations non-viable.

Key themes

Speakers linked closures and layoffs to per-unit costs and surcharges; they also referenced collateral damage in related trades (dyeing, stitching, transport). Announcements foreshadowed escalating action if relief did not arrive.

Implications for APPLA

• Press for time-of-use optimization and predictable quarterly adjustments, especially for B-1/B-2 consumers.
• Develop a cluster-level tariff impact dashboard to keep policymakers focused on job preservation.