Electricity import: Gwadar to get 100MW from Iran this year, Senate told

Another agreement is likely to be concluded by 2013 for 1,000MW for Makran division.

ISLAMABAD:

The government is set to sign an agreement with Iran for importing 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity for Gwadar port within six months, Mir Lashkari Raisani informed the Senate.

“The agreement is a breakthrough (enabling us) to import electricity on low tariff,” he said. “With our efforts, Iran has agreed to provide electricity (at just) Rs7 per unit. In another agreement of 1,000MW, electricity import can materialise by 2013 as Islamabad and Tehran are negotiating the matter,” he explained. JUI-F’s Ismail Buledi informed the upper house of parliament that they have also signed an agreement for importing electricity from Iran for the Makran division as well. Initially, Iran would provide 35.7MW to the division from next month, he added. Earlier, there was a dispute on tariff rates as Tehran was offering electricity at Rs13 per unit but Islamabad kept requesting for a reduction in tariff, he explained.

ANP’s Ilyas Bilour said army and security agencies are responsible and respectable departments and everyone should give them due regard. “The only way to pay tribute to our motherland is by showing loyalty and devotion,” he said.

Counter Terrorism Authority Act

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the National Counter Terrorism Authority Act would be tabled before parliament for approval. In this regard, he urged the Senate committee on interior to finalise amendments in the Anti-Terrorism Act as soon as possible for effectively prosecuting anti-social elements. Provinces will issue arms licences after the completion of the devolution process, he added.

NCHD’s unpaid employees

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Khan said the employees of National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) were calling for the payment of the remainder of their salaries. “It is important that the government should resolve the issue as soon as possible,” he demanded.

Chairman of the Implementation Commission Senator Raza Rabbani said that some elements were creating hurdles in the way of the devolution.

“I know some elements are dead against the devolution process<” Rabbani said.

He was speaking on various points of orders in the Senate.

Rabbani said that the commission would approve the devolution process by the end of this month.

On the NCHD issue, he said that all teachers were working on contract basis. “So, it is difficult for the government and the provinces to accept these employees after the devolution,” he added. “The lawmakers who favour the regularisation of these teachers should approach prime minister, who is in-charge of the Council of Common Interests — engage provinces to resolve such issues,” he added.

Outstanding dues of the teachers would be cleared till June 30, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2011.