ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar has said that the electricity situation has been resolved and that the government would be rolling out a new set of reforms for the energy sector over the next month in two stages.
Addressing a press conference late on Tuesday night, the Minister said that the country had crossed 12000 MW of shortfall which had been brought back to the 9000 MW level.
He said that the crisis was resolved after the government released funds for a fuel switch for the power generating companies. He added that currently, the country’s dependable generative capacity stood at 14000 MW.
He said that the government was ensuring supply to power generating companies and clearing out outstanding dues. Qamar clarified that as per directives there were no more ‘sacred cows’ and any one, be it the Prime Minister or the President, their power would be cut for non-payment.
Energy Sector reforms
Qamar said that the government had felt the need for reform in the energy sector and hence had released executables to that effect, some of which will be implemented in the next 48 hours.
Qamar said that the government had decided to appoint professional CEOs and CFOs at all DISCOs while all GENCOs would have a high powered board setup.
He further said that the government would be handing ONM contracts to private sector for management.
Qamar said that a new plan for bill collection will be implemented and the old format of “business as usual” will be done away with.
Clarifying the circular debts of provinces, Qamar said that no IPP had been closed due to cut in fuel supplies, neither are any plants in Karachi shut due to non-payment of dues. Furthermore, he said that Sindh had cleared all its power bills.
Power protests
The federal minister criticised the Pakistan Muslim League–N government over the recent riots. He said that the riots betrayed a pre-planned action rather than genuine public agitation. He said that if the sitting government of Punjab were to support the protesters in their vandalism, then they push the country towards lawlessness.
APP adds
Gilani briefs President on power sector measures
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr on Tuesday night and briefed him about the steps afoot to avert the energy crises and power outages in the country.
The President during the meeting urged for urgent measures to end the continued loadshedding in the country.
He expressed the hope that the recent initiatives by the government will provide relief to the people and help reduce power outages across the country.
2 holidays a week, shutters down by 9pm
The Water and Power Ministry earlier prepared a set of recommendations to deal with the electricity crisis in the country, Express 24/7 reported on Tuesday.
The suggestions will be presented in the next cabinet session.
The ministry has proposed two holidays in a week and closure of commercial centres by 9pm.
It has also recommended that the use of air conditioners in government offices before 11 in the morning should be discontinued and ministry employees, who are involved in power theft shall be terminated from service.
However, sources confirmed that no decision has been taken regarding the increasing power tariff in the country.
As reported earlier, unannounced loadshedding for long durations forced people to come out on the streets in several cities of Punjab.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif accused the federal government of deliberate power cuts in the province, while PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif directed his party to support street protests.
COMMENTS (25)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1713521455-0/Untitled-design-(9)1713521455-0-270x192.webp)
@Atheist, India:
Pakistan people should enjoy "darkness" at night, wake up fresh in the morning, take shower and be ready to go to bed again. Hanuman Singh Benaras
"2 holidays a week, shutters down by 9pm"
This should have been implemented quite long ago. But still not too late. People would spend less stressful life and everyone will be attracted to work on these conditions. In many many many countries 2 holidays a week is not just implemented to releif people but there are lot of other reasons. Their newspapers are not full of stressful news everyday. If you work 6 days a week so its like sacrificing your life for your job which is quite inhuman.
The moment a news gets published, Indian trolls come and start ranting.
The Minister should be sacked.
Um. I enjoy reading posts by Indians and Pakistanis on ET. The level of hate both possess for each other is quite astonishing! but to make fun of Pakistan on something which also happens in India is bordering on utter stupidity. I was on a tour recently in India with my Canadian passport and i swear to God i witnessed myself 9 to 15 hours of loadshedding in several districts at a stretch.
@Pundit: to whom u r targetting? Dont forget almost 70% of population in india hardly gets 12 hrs electricity supply.sitauation is no better in our country also. Lot of industries are suffering due to load shedding.
@meekal ahmed: "the world over there is a two-day weekened. What complicates the situation in our case is Friday where people take-off for prayers and never come back. So with two mandated days for the week-end, we end up with 2 and a 1/2 days of holidays.
" Can the 2 days not be Friday Saturday instead of Saturday sunday plus unofficially half of Friday?
@ Athiest Brother u right thank god we have food but u know our rullers mashallah trying very hard to make pakistan also like somalia in last few years.
come on guys!! Bankers need some relief too.. They are also human. Everywhere around the world, there is a 5 day working week. Why cant it happen in Pakistan? Those businessmen who oppose 2 weekly holidays should come and sit at a banker's desk, they will soon realize why bankers need time to relax too. I am a banker and that is why i say this and fully support 2 weekly holidays. Hope that it gets approved in the next cabinet meeting!!!!
Pakistan has informed USA that any Abbottabad like invasion will not be accepted if a Load shedding is on.
Thats fait accompli!
@Flying Object: Please talk some common sense in to Mr. Gilani. The whole nation will be grateful.
" Since we have closed the factory we are saving a lot of electricity and supporting the national cause."
the world over there is a two-day weekened. What complicates the situation in our case is Friday where people take-off for prayers and never come back. So with two mandated days for the week-end, we end up with 2 and a 1/2 days of holidays.
What a deal! Two and a half days oblivious to the world around us.
When you add that to no tax, can it get better than this?
Summers GONE Its winters coming up! FOR GOD's SAKE!!!!
Punch the person right on his face who votes for PPP next time!
Strange, In this point in time, when we should be in a quest of doing cure of this lasting problem we are again choosing to go with treatment, and these treatments have never proved to be a solution. GoP should announce its long term power generation policy, proves of financing and should public feasibility of power generation projects. In the meantime, they can implement these short term in nature policies. I am afraid if they limit the business activity to 5 days from 7 days (inclusive of early shut down), this would increase difficulties of common man who is already victim of rapidly increasing cost of living...
@ Atheist India: Good thing you get food all around the week. Many in your country don't.
No one is going to get terminated because of stealing electricity. We know that all too well. Why don't we start offices at 8am and finish by 3 or 4pm, so that people can go to shops that will close by 9pm. Let's make it good for everyone. Otherwise, you will have shopkeepers coming out on roads saying they have lost their business due to this 9pm closing thing.
Let's face it, without electricity no one works in any office. Chat sessions go on during that time. Might as well let people go home early (around 3pm) and take it easy. Common sense!!!
Been there, done that. Last time they took the same measures, the power situation didn't improve but it gave rise to other problems. People suffered due to closure of banks for two days a week and goods were stuck for two days a week in Karachi port causing huge loss for exporters.
Wont closing all industries and commercial establsihment for 6 days a week , solve the problem ? I hope US stays out of this mess and let things follow natural course.
this country is becoming a land of day dreamers and worthless ideas, be it foreign policy, economics, trade, business, development, growth... absolute ludicrous ideas pops out from politicians and experts alike. No one has any idea how much this will hurt the remaining little business we are left with. The only thing this country seems to be good at is to play neighboring strategic games and trying to take more than what it can chew, and fail miserably for last 60 years. And With this condition of Pak, living every day on international aid, we plan to play "equal" with huge players like US, China, India, the top 3 economies of world today... what ridiculous idea. First GOP must ensure basic services against the tax that I pay..
Pakistanis are lucky they did not have a food shortage. Consider not eating anything for 2 days in a week.