Gilani backtracks on printing currency to end loadshedding

Gilani questions why provincial governments did not take steps for generating power.


Peer Muhammad May 17, 2012

ISLAMABAD: Dispelling the impression of printing currency notes to overcome the power crisis in the country, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on Thursday that all available resources except for printing currency will be used to end unannounced loadshedding. 

Gilani was speaking to the media after attending an event organised by the Ministry of Information Technology.

The prime minister had earlier suggested that the government should print currency notes and pour capital into the electricity sector in order to overcome loadshedding.

Gilani, while speaking to the media today, questioned why the provincial governments did not take steps for generating power in their provinces, rather than criticizing the federal government since “there is no restriction to generate independent power in the provinces”.

The prime minister said that the Punjab government did not follow the federal government to observe two weekends because the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) wanted to use the issue of load shedding issue to take political advantage.

Reopening NATO supply routes

Gilani said that he has directed all the concerned ministries to finalise the ongoing negotiations with the United States over the reopening of Nato supply routes.

“The negotiations over the resumption of Nato supply routes are underway and will be done soon.”

Answering a question on the formation of a Seraiki province, the prime minister said that it was the desire of the entire Seraiki nation, not just his party and that it will soon be materialized.

He added that some people want him to “go home” prior to the formation of the Seraiki province.

Speaking on the implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict in a contempt of court case against him, the Gilani said, “Law will take its course and it is not the duty of the PML-N to implement court orders.”

“We are not liked by some people and they want to send us home, but they should adopt the legal way to do so,” he maintained.

When asked whether he was considering resigning from premiership, he questioned, “Who should I give my resignation to?”

Gilani further said that the opposition did not accept him as the prime minister, but were willing to sit in the committees formed by him and accepted Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) leader Khursheed Shah as head of the parliamentary committee to appoint the chief election commissioner.

He also said that President Asif Ali Zardari will attend the Nato summit in Chicago and that the decision was endorsed by Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) and the federal cabinet.

COMMENTS (25)

Farhan | 11 years ago | Reply

This Guy Is A Fool There is already no electricity in Pakistan, Summers are coming and people are dieing of heat overnight. he had such a brilliant idea of overcoming this problem and look now, just after one day changes his idea and calls us, the people of Pakistan fools! who stopped the project of kalabagh dam which could have produced electricity to stop unnanounced loadshedding electricity. I say to vote "IMRAN KHAN" in the next elections, he is the only tusted (and untest) guy, everyone else came to power and did nothing, nows the chance to let him come to power and see the changes he makes in Pakistan!

Fawad chaudhry | 11 years ago | Reply

I was present in the cabinet PM Gillani never even suggested to print nots but as I came out I saw breaking news on one TV suggesting that PM Gillani has hinted towards printing Currency,this is absolutely absurd Pakistan is all set to get 2.7 Billion USD and after june will not be cash starved. So another piece of irresponsible media reporting

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