Minister regrets gas, power outages

Achakzai says despite severe cold and snowfall, people have been deprived of basic necessities

QUETTA: Provincial Minister for Agriculture Engineer Zamark Khan Achakzai has lamented that despite having rich resources of gas, Balochistan is being deprived of the basic facility.

"People are forced to live without gas in severe cold. The provincial government will take up the issue of unnecessary and unforeseen gas load shedding by the federal government on a priority basis,” he said.

Achakzai made these remarks in a meeting with a delegation comprising politicians of different parties the other day in the provincial capital.

Terming it a gross injustice, the provincial minister said that despite severe cold and snowfall, people had been deprived of the basic necessities like gas and electricity.

“It would further increase sense of deprivation in the province,” he said.

The provincial minister vowed to provide all possible assistance to the victims tormented by snowfall and rains.

“In this hour of difficulty, every possible help and cooperation will be provided to the victims,” he reiterated.

Achakzai stressed upon the federal government to focus on the issues of Balochistan and direct the Sui Southern Gas Company and Quetta Electric Supply Company to refrain from gas and electricity load shedding especially in the cold weather.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2020.