The Raheel-Nawaz regime increased the charge tariff for electricity by 43 paisa per unit to ensure the success of the meeting with the IMF, to be held on 29^th October 2014. Through this raise, the regime hopes to seize 147 billion Rupees from the people's pockets, which will be used to pay back interest-based loans acquired to ensure the supply of electricity. By raising the electricity tariff, the regime is hoping to obtain the next installment of a loan of 550 million Dollars, which was suspended by the IMF in September 2014, because government did not fulfill its conditions. Moreover, our enemy, America, asked the IMF to resume these talks, which the regime used to give an impression to the people that we cannot live without America, even though Allah (swt) has blessed Pakistan all manner of resources in abundance.

At the moment, the people of Pakistan are purchasing electricity at prices that are amongst the most expensive in the world. This has created immense pressure on Pakistan's economy because our manufactured goods are becoming less competitive, due to costly electricity, in local and foreign trade. The issue is affecting the people so much that opposition parties are exploiting this issue to embarrass the government. They call the people to protest against the government and encourage them to burn their own electricity bills. They promise to deliver this electricity at a much reduced price, if they are in power. However, the opposition has failed to address the real cause of expensive electricity, Capitalism, which hands electricity, a public property according to the commands of Islam, over to private ownership. After the privatization of the Ummah's property, private owners sell electricity expensively to secure their profits, whilst the government increases the prices further through taxation.

Hizb ut Tahrir warns the people of Pakistan that the issue of expensive electricity can never be resolved under the Capitalist system, as implemented by Democracy. The people who claim that they can deliver electricity at low prices under Democracy are deceiving the Ummah. In the past many promised to provide low cost electricity, but once they acquired power, Democracy and Capitalism remained, so electricity prices continued to rise. Only a party which promises to uproot Democracy and implement the Economic System of Islam under the Khilafah "Caliphate" can be sincere with you. This is because only the Economic System of Islam eradicates the root cause of expensive electricity, by ensuring it is a public property whose benefit is for the Ummah. RasulAllah (saw) said «المسلمون شرکاء فی ثلاث:الماء والکلاء والنار» "Muslims are partner in three things: Water, pasture and Fire (energy)."(Musnad Ahmed). So O Muslims! If you want to end this humiliating situation by the light of Islam, you must join Hizb ut Tahrir and struggle for the establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate". Only the Khilafah "Caliphate" will abolish Democracy and declare electricity producing units as public property according to the command of RasulAllah (saw). Thus Islam alone can provide electricity to the Ummah at a very affordable price. Anything that is less than the abolition of the Democracy and establishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate" is deception.

Shahzad Shaikh
Deputy to the Spokesman of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Pakistan