Govt vows to counter ‘despondency’

ISLAMABAD:

The PTI-led federal government on Wednesday vowed that elements trying to spread “despondency and frustration” in the country would not be spared as its ministers continued to highlight the ruling party’s achievements for the second straight day on the completion of two years of its tenure.

“Certain inimical forces are hell-bent on spreading dependency and frustration among the people but the information ministry will counter this propaganda aggressively,” Information Minister Shibli Faraz said at a news conference.

He was accompanied by Energy Minister Omar Ayub, Communications Minister Murad Saeed, Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda, Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry, Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari, Maritime Affairs Minister Ali Zaidi and Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Dr Fahmida Mirza.

“In the changing international scenario, the role and responsibilities of the information ministry has changed as well,” Shibli said.

“It [information ministry] not only has to highlight the government’s policies and achievements, but also counter the enemy's propaganda,” he added.

“A fifth-generation war is under way and the information ministry has taken revolutionary steps to counter it. The nation is united in this war and will rise above political affiliations to counter this aggression.”

The minister said the nation had steadfastly faced a difficult period and stood by the government. “All conspiracies will be foiled through the people’s support.”

Shibli also expressed confidence that the fruits of the development carried out by the PTI government would reach the masses soon.

The minister asked the media to project the achievements of the government and point out its deficiencies as a watchdog.

“There is always room for improvement and the government is making efforts to improve its performance,” he maintained.

“The current government is presenting its two-year performance to the public and this is the essence and basic practice of democracy. As per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, its motto is accountability, justice and merit.”

Replying to a question, Shibli said the sugar and flour mafias had their roots in the system and they had created an artificial shortage of the essential commodities.

“However, the government is determined to ensure their [sugar and flour] supply at affordable prices.”

The minister said hoarders and profiteers had taken advantage of the coronavirus pandemic but the government had ensured that the supply chain of daily use items was not disrupted.

“It is a fact that no political government can afford an increase in the prices of edible items like flour and sugar, and the issue would be settled within a few weeks.”

Shibli said the prime minister was concerned about the increasing prices and regularly chairing meetings of provincial chief secretaries and food secretaries to personally monitor and review the situation.

To a query, the minister said the PTI was a party that challenged the status quo.

“The PTI government is promoting national interests instead of personal interests unlike its predecessors and that is why it is taking politically difficult decisions,” he claimed.

“The past rulers had only appointed people who facilitated them in looting national wealth and ruining national institutions.”

Speaking on the occasion, Energy Minister Omar Ayub reiterated the resolve of the PTI government to revamp the power sector by curtailing circular debt and providing electricity to consumers at affordable rates.

"We have brought down the rate of electricity, which is being produced through renewable energy and solar resources, from 12.5 to 13 cents per unit to 3.75 cents per unit during the last two years," he said.

The minister elaborated that the Council of Common Interests had recently approved a new Alternative Energy Policy under which 75% of the country's total electricity would be produced through indigenous resources by 2030.

Under the new policy, he added, alternative and solar energy projects would be awarded through open and competitive bidding. "The rate will go further down and benefit the public."

"Currently, almost 70% of the energy-mix needs are met through costly imported fuel. We have to change it by utilising indigenous energy resources.”

In line with the new policy, Pakistan will bring in the technology and start production of renewable energy equipment like solar panels, wind turbines and blades.

"Through the transfer of this technology, Pakistani will not only become self-sufficient in the production of renewable energy equipment but will also be able to export them to Central Asian and African countries.”

The minister said the government had saved the country from a penalty of around Rs200 billion in the Karkey case through an out-of-court settlement with special efforts of Prime Minister Imran Khan and assistance of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Besides, he added, the Power Division had revised agreements with independent power producers that would help curtail circular debt and electricity tariff.

Ayub said work on four new hydel power projects including Diamer-Bhasha, Mohmand, Kohala and Karot was being carried out to produce 6,500-7,000MW electricity.

Similarly, he added, work on 15 wind project, having an accumulated capacity of 800MW power, was also in progress.

The minister said the government had significantly improved the transmission system by removing 15 major constraints on 500kV and 220kV lines, which had helped transmit an additional 4,500MW to consumers across the country.

“The present government has added 2,800 kilometers of additional transmission lines during the last two years.”

Outlining the performance of his ministry, Water Resources Minister Faisal Vawda said work had already been started on much-awaited mega projects including Mohmand and Diamer-Bhasha dams and the Dasu hydropower project.

“The water resources ministry is the only entity which needs no government sovereign guarantee for executing any project,” he added.

“The federal government is providing only 20% of the funds while the ministry is arranged remaining 80% by itself for its projects.”

The minister said the incumbent government had launched mega projects after 54 years.

“The feasibility study of the Sindh Barrage has also been started while around 112 small dams were also being built across the country.

Communications and Postal Services Minister Murad Saeed said following the vision of PM Imran, his ministry had adopted the policy of austerity, accountability, transparency and self-sufficiency.

“We have introduced e-tendering, e-bidding and e-billing system in the National Highway Authority [NHA] to improve its efficiency and ensure transparency.”

The minister said e-billing process had been launched from Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan project and from September 30, all NHA projects would take executed e-tendering, e-bidding and e-billing.

Saeed said his ministry had saved Rs750 million through the policy of austerity as per vision of the prime minister whereas Rs12.56 billion were recovered after special audit of various projects.

“For the first time in the history of the NHA, the landmark Geographic Information System has been introduced to optimise its revenues and ensure transparency in the institution.”

The minister said Sukkur-Hyderabad (M-6) Motorway would bring a development revolution in the rural areas of Sindh. “The 306-km long project will be constructed on a BOT [build–operate–transfer] basis.”

He said the NHA also planned to build Sialkot-Kharian Motorway and Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway on a BOT basis and their feasibility studies would be completed this year. Similarly, Balkasar-Mianwali Road and Mianwali-Muzafargarh Road would be dualised under the public-private partnership mode.

He said Multan-Muzaffargarh-Dera Ghazi Khan Road would also be built through the same mode.

He added that phase-II of the Swat Motorway would be launched by the end of this year.

WITH INPUT FROM APP