ISLAMABAD: Inflated bills have become a major humanitarian crisis in Pakistan; in recent years, dozens of cases have been reported due to the financial crisis and high electricity bills.
Faisalabad – Pregnant Woman: 45-year-old Samina Bibi, 8 months pregnant, swallowed acid after receiving a bill of Rs. 4,525 – 5,000. Her bill normally never exceeded Rs. 500. Doctors saved her baby, but she died at Allied Hospital.
Gujranwala – Razia Bibi (65): An ailing woman suffering from a hernia had saved Rs. 10,000 for her operation. She was forced to pay the electricity bill with that money. Depressed, she jumped into a nullah/drain. CCTV footage showed the incident. The body was searched by rescue teams.
Khanewal / Jahanian – Hamna, mother of four: The bill was Rs. 10,000. Her husband sold household items and took a loan to pay it, but MEPCO did not restore supply. With no money left for food and children hungry for 2 days, she consumed poison and died at the tehsil hospital.
Dijkot / Faisalabad – Muhammad Hamza (35): Father of two minor children shot himself after failing to pay Rs. 40,000 bill in August 2023. Family told police he was already under financial stress.
Dijkot – Elderly man Fida Hussain: Stepped in front of a train on the railway track after receiving a Rs. 20,000 bill that he could not pay.
Karachi – Zehra Shahzad (32): Hanged herself in Orangi Town. Family told police there was no electricity in the house for 10 days as they were unable to pay the bill.
Gujranwala – Brother Killed Brother: In the Prince Road area, an elder brother, Umar, stabbed his younger brother, Murtaza, to death with a dagger during an argument over payment of a Rs. 30,000 electricity bill.Recent Cases – 2025-2026:
Kasur – Muneer, father of three (38): Resident of Kot Radha Kishan, received a Rs. 10,500 bill. After an argument with his wife over the bill, he left his child near the track and lay in front of the Sialkot-bound Allama Iqbal Express.
Kasur – Factory worker Muhammad Nasir: Resident of Bhothan Pura, Kot Radha Kishan, hanged himself inside his home after receiving a Rs. 42,000 bill for June. Family said he was under severe mental stress for days.
Kasur – Another factory worker: A similar case was reported this month, where a worker could not afford the bill and took his life, adding to the series in the Kot Radha Kishan area. Most of these cases happened in Punjab – Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Kasur, Khanewal – where bills of Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 42,000 were reported, which is more than the monthly income of daily wage workers.
Protests have been held across Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Narowal against soaring bills and taxes. If you or someone you know is under stress due to bills, please talk to family and contact mental health support.
Read also: WAPDA Has No Role in Electricity Bills or Load-Shedding, Clarifies Chairman
