ISLAMABAD Making harder for the masses to make both ends meet, the government following the commitments made with the International Monetary Fund has notified 12 per cent increase in the electricity tariff from January 1, 2010. The said increase was already scheduled and several days ago it had been finalised that 12 per cent increase in power tariff would be done from 1st January. There was one question that whether it should be increased at once or in parts but in a high level meeting it was decided that the masses be burdened at once. The ministry of water and power wanted that power rates be increased in phases, however, the top leadership of the government has decided that the 12 per cent power tariff be increased for all the eight electricity distribution companies (DISCOs). It is pertinent to mention here that the power tariff is already too high and the consumers are unable to pay the bills and now this 12 per cent increase is another attack from the government. But this is not the end as another 6 per cent increase in energy tariff is scheduled in April this year. Pakistan is the only country that for most of its power generation relies on imported oil and according to the spokesperson of ministry, the oil based energy production is the major reason behind this increase in power rates. At the same time when the situation is clear to the government that the masses cannot afford that much expensive electricity, no work to build dams for hydel power generation has been started yet in the country. Moreover, the government is bound to abolish subsidies from electricity as per the demand of IMF. That burden would also be transferred to the consumers very soon, an official of the ministry said. A time is coming that electricity would be available but nobody could purchase it as the price of electricity is increasing following no increase in the source of income of the consumers, the official said.