HYDERABAD: The Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz (PML-N) district senior vice-president Abdul Waheed Inqilabi on Sunday appealed to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure a right of vote to the Pakistanis who intend to travel for pilgrimage, Pakistani passport holders living abroad and more than 80,000 prisoners, who had been languishing in jails. Reportedly, he expressed grave concerns over failure of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the ECP to ensure provision of right to vote to such Pakistanis. He said that the Constitution of Pakistan secures their right, and many of them were registered in the voters list. He demanded to the caretaker government to ensure conduct of free, fair and transparent general elections. Inqilabi criticised feudal system that still prevails in many regions of Pakistan, and urged the state organs to support the electoral process to get rid of Jagirdars, Waderas and Chaudhries, who had been looting the country’s resources for the last 70 years. He denounced selective justice and demanded higher authorities to hold Asif Ali Zardari accountable for committing corruption and ‘plundering’ national exchequer, and building palaces in Dubai, London and France. HESCO demands to revoke recent hike in power tariff by Rs 1.68 per unit The Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) on Sunday expressed serious concerns regarding a recent hike in power tariff by Rs 1.68 per unit. Reportedly, the HCCI Hyderabad Electric Supply Company subcommittee chairman Abdul Sattar Khan said that a significant increase in electricity bills and surcharge would certainly have adverse consequences for the industrial sector and domestic consumers. “Pakistan’s industrial sector has been undergoing crisis as its products could not compete International market prices,” he said adding that many traders were facing intense hardships while exporting their products. He called it an alarming situation that has emerged after many home-based industries had been closed, leaving thousands of people unemployed. He urged the higher authorities to undo the decision and ensure uninterrupted power supply to the industries. “Many families sold their household appliances to pay electricity bills,” he said adding that electricity theft and line losses costs were being recovered from consumers by charging them high detection bills. He assured that HCCI would assist HESCO officials for improving the situation and ending power theft in the region. Published in Daily Times, July 23rd 2018.