Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif. PHOTO: TMN/FILE
FAISALABAD: Condemning gas theft taking place across Pakistan, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to stop such corrupt practices in the country and hoped to end the current power crisis during his present tenure.
The premier was speaking to the business community of Faisalabad on Monday.
Nawaz said that gas theft takes place with the help of people working in the gas companies, adding that his government will punish the perpetrators.
He further asked the nation to be patient as it will take at least few years to fix the electricity problem.
The prime minister said his government has taken the right direction and people will see the difference in coming years.
While speaking to the businessmen, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the government will ensure that Faisalabad gets 14 hours of gas supply from January onwards.
He reiterated the premier’s stance on gas theft and said stopping others from stealing the national resource was his first priority.
Electricity Production
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Monday that load shedding will decrease considerably in the coming months owing to a number of short projects initiated by the government, Radio Pakistan reported.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 84 mega watt New Bong Escape Hydropower Project in Mirpur, he said projects undertaken to increase electricity production are long term ventures but since Pakistan has abundant water resources, the government will seek to utilize them optimally.
Nawaz said that a number of Chinese investors are working on energy projects in Pakistan, which when completed will help reduce the power crisis.
He further added that the Bong project would create economic opportunities for people in Azad Kashmir.
Nawaz assured foreign investors of assistance and cooperation.
He added that a one-window operation would be launched to facilitate investors.
Mills raided
PM Nawaz and Shahbaz visited a mill in Faisalabad that was involved in annual gas theft worth Rs0.2 billion, Express News reported.
The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) recently started an operation against gas theft and had raided multiple commercial mills and factories.
The mill in Faisalabad was also raided as a part of this operation and was fined a total of Rs0.11 billion.
The SNGPL head briefed the premier and chief minister today about the raids conducted by the gas company.
A case was filed against the owner of the mill and all the equipment used for gas supply was seized.
Express News also reported that a mill in Multan – involved in gas theft worth Rs0.12 billion - was raided.
COMMENTS (32)
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Yes Feroz before elections, he was ending the loadshedding crisis immediately, after election before Oath said that Nation do not expect that after the Oath loadshedding will be ended and on 16-July 2013 announced that loadshedding is "sangeen masala hai our aik mah mai khatam nahee kiya ja sakta" And now he is hoping to end the crisis before the end of his tenure. That’s the right kind of dodging and doses for this kind of a people. And do hope, hope is hope not bad just like dreams are not bad in slumber. Factually and actually there is no shortage of Electricity but surplus, the root cause is stealing/theft of Electricity and euphemistically calling it LINE LOSSES and which is impossible to control in present system of country and government.
"PM Nawaz and Shahbaz visited a mill in Faisalabad that was involved in annual gas theft worth Rs0.2 billion, Express News reported."
"The mill in Faisalabad was also raided as a part of this operation and was fined a total of Rs0.11 billion."
Very smart move Mr. PM. Can you please lend me 2bn each year of your tenure and at the end of your tenure I'll return to you Rs 1.1bn. Please!!!
@Aysha M: do you or your party possess an Aladin lamp to resolve the energy crises within days????? please stop finding faults with the present dispensation. the efforts of the Prime Minister are sincere and rightly directed. the power crises in pakistan multi pronged and includes elimination of circular debt( which the government has efficiciently done), enhancing generation by short, medium and long term projects.. and above all to improve the the Transmission and decades old Distribution system.. all this will take time, please hold on and support the government.
Be aware Mr. Sharif, when you took over from BB there was ample electric Power in the county, now you say, "Pakistan has abundant water resources". This is when we need efforts to preserve our Water Sources.
So within the first 45 days of the government, the timeline for load-shedding elimination has increased from 2 years...3 years...to now 5 years. PMLN = PPP in every essence, be it corruption or playing provincial cards.
@Aysha M: Nawaz Sharif on average has enjoyed a tenure of no more than 3 years, so power crisis will be solved sooner than later . Two Months ago : Load shedding: No end in sight? . http://x.dawn.com/2013/05/22/load-shedding-no-end-in-sight/ . As a result, Nawaz Sharif has already held a meeting to address the issue. His brother, Shahbaz has said that load shedding will end in two years : Now : Nawaz Sharif hopes to end power crisis during his tenure i.e. IN FIVE YEARS . Cheers
"He further asked the nation to be patient as it will take at least few years to fix the electricity problem." wasn't it finally 2 years?
Well begun is half done! MashaAllah the PMLN Government is moving in the right direction in resolving the decade-long energy crisis full of shady deals by the dictator Musharraf and then his NRO-protege' Zardari. We are happy that our motherland is now in safe hands. Long Live PMLN, Long Live Pakistan!
If there is any party that has both will and ability to solve crisis it is PML-N. PTI also knows how to solve but they don't have the ability to make it happen as ostrich behaviour of CM KPK shows. PPP we have seen. Only N can do it but expectations must be realistic.
Every person with any understanding of electricity crisis knows the problem is not so simple as to "give money" to power producers or to make new plants. Problem is structural and will take time. If you complain N leaders betrayed 3 month deadline, the fault is as much in your understanding as in their sloganeering.
Both brothers are doing a great job. Wish them best of luck.
Before elections, he was ending the crisis within months. After election, he is hoping to end the crisis before the end of his tenure.
That's the right kind of dodging and doses for this kind of a people. Geo Pakistan, Geo sher.
Bravo, Mr PM giving confidence to the concerned department by visiting the mill by himself. We are really fortunate that we have now right leaders and doing right job. so far only bad decision regarding the appointment of Sethi as interim Chairman PCB. The rest is good direction. May Allah help you, Mr Sharif. Allah bless you @ Uza ; negative thinking.
villagechamyati@gmail.com
@Uza Syed: Its said,"Arguments can satisfy doubts,nothing satisfies ego"......
@Aysha M: N may survive for three years but it seems that your party is in increasing trouble.
@Adnan: are a glimmer of hope :)
@Uza Syed: When was last time any PPP PM took so much interest in gas or electricity theft? Instead they took heavy commissions and kickbacks, Please be constructive in your criticism. I didnt get your point.
@NRP: Hey, hey! Hold on, listen no one in his right mind wants to see Pakistani PM and Pnjab CM both with supposedly heavey mandate (to do what?) to waste their time and our resources in such petty things like theft of a few millions when the whole of Pakistani treasury is being pilfered and they themselves are suspected of their share in the crime against the State and the people at large. I want them to hold each and every individual, including themselves, for her/his part in this grand larcenary. This is something that ought to be done rather than playing heroes Bollywood style and fail even in this copied acting.
It should be done before Pakistan Army takes over again on one call from neo-con generals.
@Aysha M:
This time, the way he is going about things- picking fights with the army for starters- he unlikely to last more than a year. So yippee- the energy crisis will be solved within a year!!!!
ith the might of Friend Higher than the Himalays & Deeper than the Oceans and Sweeter than Honey.... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Frankly we expect much better.
In our days when Loha-thieves were apprehended stealing iron covers of gutters or wapdas wires, railway tracks etc etc, the purchaser was mostly ITTEFAQ FOUNDRIES LTD KOT LAKHPAT LAHORE!
During an interview one SHO in Tibbi Thana was asked how he deals with the 10 numberi gundas of his areas. The reply: here are 8 numberi or 9 numberi because 10 numberi I am myself!
but when will you pay your bills for ittefaq mills mister? rs. 40 million in arrears? http://lesco.gov.pk/News&Media/5000071.asp
Take stern action against these culprits and make them example that no body could dare to think about thefts.
Some people have the guts to steal gas. Without the influence of the local politicians, gas company employees, who could steal. Where are the people whose job it is to check and arrest gas thieves? Looks like it was a set up for the PM. Topi Drama. Next the PM or the minister of interior will arrests criminals instead of the local police station officials.
@Uza Syed: PMLN bashing is one thing and poor reading skills another. Please read the news a few more times and then ask yourself "Who raided(to arrest)?" and "Who visited(in their vow to stop power theft)?".
Nawaz Sharif on average has enjoyed a tenure of no more than 3 years, so power crisis will be solved sooner than later
@Uza Syed: Sometimes the premier should get down from his high horse and corroborate, what is being reported to him by other departments.
Probably, they visited because the mill owners would turn to be their party supporters.
good move by PM, it show his directions , feeling change in Pakistan
They visited the mill involved in theft, doing what, nvestigation, arrests what? Do we have or don't we have departments and personnel for such work? If these two think that they are fit and suitable and should be doing this job then perhaps we ought to find two other people who are upto taking care of such important positions which these two people are occupying.