Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, the interim finance minister, stated that the caretaker administration intends to increase the cost of these utilities in January in an effort to reduce the circular debt problem. The federal minister stated that the government has committed to reducing energy sector costs and restoring efficiency under the terms of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Stand-By Arrangement (SBA) during a press conference at the Q Block on Thursday. “The electricity and gas industries’ circular debt has surpassed 4% of the GDP. To bring it down, immediate action is required. Gas and electricity rates have been modified in accordance with the work we have begun in this area, the speaker continued.