Energy crisis: PM refrains from giving deadline
“We are making all efforts to improve the condition of the power sector and are on our way towards betterment.”
Speaking to the media outside the National Power Control Center (NPCC) in Islamabad after a high-level meeting with ministers, the prime minister said that he understood the challenges in the power sector, citing his past experience as the power minister.
He insisted that there has been an improvement in the loadshedding problem, adding that he did not want to make any tall claims and wanted the public to feel the difference for themselves.
The ministers who attended the meeting included Minister of Water and Power, Minister of Petroleum, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Minister Kashmir Affairs and Minister of Defence.
When inquired regarding a timeline to when the energy crisis would be resolved, Ashraf avoided answering and said that he had been widely criticised for his [tall] claims in the past for never meeting his deadlines and did not want to repeat that mistake.
He said that everyone, including the opposition, political forces and stakeholders in the power sector, needed to work together to combat this problem, adding that stakeholders in the power sector were already working with ‘collective wisdom’ and making well coordinated efforts in this regard.
When asked why his claim of uniform loadshedding throughout the country was not being implemented, Pervaiz replied that he had directed the Water and Power Ministry to ensure uniform loadshedding throughout the country, however, he clarified that loadshedding was being done on the basis of ‘allocated quota’ and ‘proportionately’.
The prime minister also requested for harmony in the country and an end to blame games.
COMMENTS (10)
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In my area their is no load shedding because the bill recovery rate is above 90%.
@smj:
KESC is a bad model for privatization, because it was bought/managed by inexperienced Dubai/Saudia based companies. Also, the government wanted a tariff cap (cannot raise electric charges) and an employee entrenchment (cannot fire excess employees who dont even show up to work).
In most other countries, supplying power would be a great opportunity for business and a well managed corporation(s) can solve power problems in Pakistan, but most FDI never comes to Pakistan because of the law and order situation. Just like cricket.
@Programmingdrone: KESC in karachi is privatized, This is no solution to the culture of corruption.
None of the party workers, employees, officers ever pay a single rupee on their electricity bill. All the government workers and wapda employees, also receive free electricity. The the public institutions such as courts etc get free electricity. These problems can be solved by privatizing the power companies.
The concept of free electricity will need to be abolished for everyone.
@Cautious: Hi dear, who are those 50% not paying electric bills, and how powerful they are??????? Who are keeping their supply lines alive ???????????? Who is responsible to stop the supply to those defaulters ???????
Can you please answer???
oh please just say it Mr. PM. How can you set up goals without setting up a timeframe? :)
You could resolve "load shedding" overnight --- just cut off the 50+% of Pakistani's who don't pay they utility bills. Ain't rocket science.
Raja Pervez Ashraf is the same person who until yesterday was Federal Minister for Water & Power.
When he could not keep up his promises and could not deliver despite repeated assurances, the video clips of his assurances are available on YouTube, how he can improve the power supply in the country as Prime Minister of Pakistan?
The job that cannot be accomplished by former President General Musharraf, serving President Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and former Federal Minister for Water & Power Raja Pervez Ashraf, how it is possible that the job will be accomplished by the same person Raja Pervez Ashraf after becoming Prime Minister of Pakistan?
How can he give any deadline .. No one has a magic wand .. Army govt didn't try to build a single dam in 10 years long tenure and PPP hasn't come up with any in its 5 long years either. All so called political supporters who are all the time busy in Bhutto Zindabad, Imran Khan Zindabad & Nawaz Sharif Zindabad, should ask themselves What is that they want to be done and what are their so called leaders offering. Has any of these leaders outlined their manifesto that gives any time frame as to what will they implement in first, second - fifth year of governance? e.g giving speech every year to show for real how much progress has been done. There are many issues on which they can show their capabilities for example, Education, Population control, Power shortages, poverty reduction, border control, transport (PIA/PR), Afghan refugees repatriation among others.
Slight improvement, he is not giving time frames. He has become wiser with promotion.