Federal Information Minister Pervez Rasheed. PHOTO: INP/FILE
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has directed Minister of Water and Electricity Khwaja Asif that no load shedding should take place during the said timings in the month of Ramazan, said Rasheed.
He said that there will be no electricity outage during two hours of Sehri, one hour during Iftar and two hours during Tarawih, which means that there will be no load shedding for a total of 5 hours each day during Ramazan.
The information minister said that solving the energy crisis, controlling terrorism and keeping the stagnant economy moving were among the top priorities of the government.
The government has paid off Rs503 billion in loans to power companies in just four weeks in order to end load shedding, he said, adding that something that couldn’t be done in five years, PML-N had done in just 30 days.
Rasheed said that all electrical industries would have access to power in two or three days, which would result in an additional 1,700 megawatts of electricity to be added to the national grid.
The current demand for electricity in the country was 17,000 megawatts, whilst the supply was currently at 13,000 megawatts. More electricity would be produced in times to come, he said.
Combating Terrorism
Pervez Rasheed said that combating terrorism was amongst the top priorities of the government, and that peace in Karachi, K-P and Balochistan was something that every Pakistani wanted.
He said that the Sindh government should readily use its power for the restoration of peace, and that the federal government was ready to provide any kind of assistance required.
He said that all political parties wanted to see peace and stability in the country.
The information minister said that all intelligence agencies send their reports to the federal government, and that provincial governments could approach the center for any information that they did not have.
COMMENTS (38)
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@H: It is a discriminatory step. Why muslims are preferred on other tax payers who are not less Pakistanis? Pakistan is being ruled by maulvis. I feel ashamed.
This statement proves that the nation shall see electricity only for approximately 6 to 10 hours daily including sleeping timings in the night because Sehr,Iftat and Tarawih timings are hardly 6 hours and the other prayers the muslims shall offer without electricity.........
Is this religious discrimination?
@reasonlight: "Why? Are Muslims are privileged people in Pakistan. Are we all not Pakistanis:?"
There are laws against eating in public for people of other religions during ramzan. Do you see similar laws during Navratri or Lent? No. all Pakistanis are not equal. I am surprised you have not figured this out in 65 years.
@reasonlight: "Why? Are Muslims are privileged people in Pakistan. Are we all not Pakistanis:?"
If you have to ask this question after JHindus and SIkhs have been wiped out, Ahmadis right to worship has been severely abridged constitutionally and land grab of Christians' land is in progress using false accusations of blasphemy and Shias are openly being target killed in school buses, hospitals and imambargahs, then you clearly have not been reading newspapers.
To borrow from Orwell, "All Pakistanis are equal but Punjabi, Sunni, males are more equal than others.
@Xnain: Their concept of good governess is awarding big civil engineering contracts.
Unless there is enough power generation in terms of Megawatts, how can anyone avoid load-shedding? It seems political leaders of all political parties in Pakistan are hoping for divine intervention when they come to 'power'!
@salman: You hit the nail on the head. No concern for the women and Cervantes who will be slaving in the kitchen in preparation for those times. They will face more load shedding.
Every citizen of a country defends his country. Its only in pakistan that people defend the king and not the country.
There WILL be load shedding during Sehar,Iftar and Taraweeh, and, of course, at all other times. So much so that People of Pakistan will think PPP era was much better.
@Ali Tipu: And as if Bullet Trains are built overnight, electricity projects are erected in weeks and oh yes Export sector recovers and booms overnight.........Even Djins would find it difficult to satisfy people with such mindset.
Why each time in Pakistan a Pervaiz is involved in load shedding business.
Why? Are Muslims are privileged people in Pakistan. Are we all not Pakistanis:? :
Won't do loadshedding during prayer times, but since the rest of the day is useless when the economy goes to work and the production actually happens, we will do load shedding. But the problem is prayers will help us produce more.
The Federal Information Minister said that there will be no load-shedding during the Holy month of Ramadhan during the period of Shehri, Iftar and Tarawih.
The Information Minister must be knowing that this year the Holy month of Ramadhan is coming in the summer.
People fasting would be needing electricity for the entire day and night.
What about providing electricity 24/7 during the Holy month of Ramadhan without any interruption and brake?
@FYI:
I really pity you with that sentence .. Bengalis of Bangladesh are far superior than us in every aspect .. if you're in doubt go check their economy and GDP. Please come our of your delusional self for once.
Who wants electricity? We will lay down on a motorway from Kashghar to Gawadar in open air and enjoy cool breeze.
Don't worry friends, electricity is coming very soon through 200 kms long tunnel .
Who is PML-N's Information Minister kidding. This is nothing new. It happened all the past years during Ramadan. Now if he had said that 12 to 16 hours power outage would be reduced to, say, by about 5 hours, then it would be news.
Old statements. Following in the footsteps of PPP
" He said that there will be no electricity outage during two hours of Sehri, one hour during Iftar and two hours during Tarawih, which means that there will be no load shedding for a total of 5 hours each day during Ramazan." This happens only in Pakistan. Even the Bengali's of Bangladesh have better access to Electricity. Thank you Pakistan !!
Is this a news? Last government would also do the same for sahr and iftar. What happens in the remaining 19 hours is anybody's guess.
This dude has no credibility. A couple of years ago he announced he would resign if something happens. When it did happen, he started giving shameless excuses. I don't think this time it would be any different.
At least 5 hour roshan pakistan.
I've already started remembering PPP, things weren't this bad in their tenure :(.
He says it like its some kinda big favour his government has bestowed on the nation!
Sehri (dawn), iftar (sunset) and dusk (taraweeh) are among the coolest times of the day anyway. Besides, the combined duration of these times is about two to three hours at most. It's not really a solution to loadshedding at all - it's just a roundabout way of telling the public "you idiots will believe anything if we add a religious twist to it".
If people believe in what they say,I pity their naiveness.Nothing will change and you guys would see continuous load shedding even during sehr,aftaar and taraavi.You can mark my words right here!
I think ML(N) are a bunch of liars. Their track record shows that. From bullet train to an airport in every pind(village) in Punjab & Hazara, to not going to IMF ever again and to break 'Kashkol', everything is fraud and a lie. I, for one, aint going to be bitten again by trusting on what they say.
Pakistanis will be tested not only through fasting this ramazan but also through load shedding.
At least its a step, you guys. Or would you rather prefer praying taraweeh in the heat with no fans/air conditioners working?
@A. Khan: Of course, there will be a reallocation of load-shedding. But at least in the crucial times of the day (i.e. Sahri,Iftar and Tarawih) people will not have to face load-shedding. Even with additional 1700MV, the menace of loadshedding will not go away unless new electricity projects come online for which we will have to wait for at least a year and a half.
One of the most important voice of reason in the whole upper echelons of PML N ..is that of Information Minister Pervez Sahib... May he continue to look out for the common man in the future also ...
I am confused. So where does this energy come from during Sehr, Iftar and Taraweeh times ? Why cannot it be like that every day ?
The fact is that honorable (or is that dishonorable) minister is lying. Someone somewhere will be without power during these times.
but enjoy load shedding rest of the day &night...........
Question is....if there is no loadshedding during those 5 hours...will there additional load shedding during the remaining 19 hours?
Not sure if they are solving the problem or just changing times of loadshedding....and pretending they have solved the problem?