Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak. PHOTO: NNI/FILE
KARACHI:
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervaiz Khattak, while speaking to Shahzeb Khanzada on Express News show To The Point, said 16 per cent of the electricity produced in the country is the right of the province and it is just this right the PTI-led government is asking for.
The CM expressed hope in mutual cooperation but warned the centre that the K-P government may come out on the roads to protest if pressing matters were not resolved. People have not voted PTI in K-P and the PML-N in the federation into power to fight among themselves. “We understand that the federal government has not got enough time to solve the problems and I do not blame them for the situation.”
“Though it is the responsibility of the federation, I am ready to contribute two to three billion rupees to improve our distribution system, if it helps. We want the problems of the people solved,” the Chief Minister offered.
We want the federal government to clear our schemes fast. “The PM said that our proposals will be approved within 45 days and if they are not, they will be deemed as approved, but this is not the case.” The provincial government wants Nepra-like organizations to give them clearance soon, as they are in the process of talking to investors. The electricity produced will attract further investment in the north western province, the CM pointed out, assuring potential investors of a safe environment.
He said that the federal government has been negligent in carrying out its duties, including maintenance of electricity production and distribution. Talking about the federal government’s offer of handing over Pesco to the K-P government, the CM called it unacceptable, since without the province’s due power share the move will do no good.
He said that Wapda agrees on paper to supply the due share but takes back its promise by forced load-shedding and this brings a bad name to the provincial government. “If we could only get what is our share and a timetable for load-shedding, it will be very easy to convince people to be patient.” We know that Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan are also suffering from the energy crisis, but we produce enough electricity and we insist our favoured right on it.
I have not spoken for the transfer of Pesco chief as this is not a solution of the issue. If one officer is not delivering, he should be dismissed, rather than transferred. “However, I have told him to speak in clear and unambiguous terms, which he failed to do.”
Lastly, he said, the federal government should keep all of us on board in events like visits to China or briefing from DG ISI, but was hopeful that the centre may compensate for this in the days to come.
He said that he was sure if he invited Nawaz Sharif to KP, as Shahbaz Sharif invited the PM to Faisalabad recently, the PM will definitely grace them with his presence.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 17th, 2013.
COMMENTS (71)
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Terrible article and terrible headline.
@Without Electricity:
Among all the depressingly idiotic comments I read on this article, your lone voice was the only one that gave me some hope. Thank you.
PAKISTAN ZINDABAD
Hasan
PTI and Mr Khatak should read the Constitution. A fixed criteria exists for sharing of natural resources produced in provinces. The province has first right upto 50% of the resource produced; and has to be then shared across country.
Therefore 16% production would entitle KP to 50% of its produce which is 8%. It is already getting more than that. Also, PTI should not mislead people; last NFC award settled the matter of royalties and KPK government gets its share of royalties as agreed, an achievement of ANP that is never highlighted by media.
The mindless comments from the Burger Kids prove that they are the true trolls of selfish Lifetime Chairman Imran Khan Niazi who enjoys his "vacations" in UK while the people of Pakistan are bracing worst terrorism and loadsheddings. Now his parochial trolls are sowing the seeds of hate.
KP Selfish
ET sold out.
period.
Does PTI want to win elections in Punjab or any other province? In democracy one has to cater to the majority. From the sound of all the comments, it is difficult to differentiate PTI from ANP or other nationalist parties. After five years perhaps PTI will come to replace ANP or QWP. If PTI is to become a national party then her adherents need to think nationaly and comment with solutions fit fot he whole nation.
Now let see if ET prints my comment this time...
How about reporting about the lacs of rupees of tax payer's money spent on protocol that included a helicopter trip for Hamza Shareef and a bunch of MPAs for their visit to a Ramzan bazaar? Classic example of yellow/lafafa journalism.
@yacob uddin: Mr Yacob. Pubjab gets 66% of generation, KPK 16 and 9% Sindh and Baluchistan each. So Punjab gets the lion share. It is just the theft by WAPDA that is killing us.
@Awan: Mr Awan, it is not about nationalism. The NFC award gives 16% to KPK and some 66% to Punjab even though the generation is in KPK or Sindh. It is better to built dams.
This is all due to proud and arrogant PTI khan.
I wish Khatak could see this Punjab vs KPK fight here and realize the seeds of hate these politicians are sowing through irresponsible politics. Very disappointing to see pakistanis fighting as Punjabis and Pakhtoons.
In by-elections,we will find out how quickly PTI has lost it's popularity and support. Sad very sad
I like how the comment section has become a fight between Punjab, KP and Karachi!? Good job ET. Dividing an already divided country. Now when I read ET I feel like I'm reading "The Onion". ET you've made a joke out of journalism.
I can live a much better life in K.P or anywhere else without Punjabis.
The caption is wrong and the news in it self has been reported wrongly. According to a pre determined criteria by the federal government, KPK will get 14 percent of the produced electricity. The current situation is that KPK is not getting even that 14 percent.
@Awan: i am sorry the money mainly originates from karachi :p
@Proud Ptian: Just like pathans in KPK are deprived of there rights and they think that Punjabis have done this to them' then let me tell you that you should come to Punjab and visit it. Punjab is not limited to the posh areas of Lahore or Pindi' It's population is nearly 10 crore. and due to the selfish and short sighted policies of politicians the only place in whole Punjab with jobs is Lahore' Most of the other parts of Punjab neither have job opportunities no they have business opportunities. So khan saab kindly stop this mein pathan tu Punjabi non-sense, and look at the broader picture'
What Khattak demands is his right? If demanding is selfishness then Khattak should actually close down the electricity to the national grid made by the dams of KPK. If the protests don't work, KPK should move on to obtain electricity by crook. We don't want another Balochistan!
Most of the livestock and grain smuggling to Afghanistan takes place from KPK, this has increased the prices of livestock through out Pakistan. Secondly the KPK CM is demanding his constitutional right of 16 percent. Why are we so dumb and racist. Specially pathans think that we Punjabi are living in some Heaven' come on guys' apart from elite class most of the people are living below the poverty line just like anywhere else or in any other province of Pakistan.
@yacob uddin: How can you say 5% and how can you use the word "we". Who is we? For your information KPK is 13% of Pakistan's population. So how do you distribute power? Can you recommended some viable formula instaed of beating about the bush?
What a stupid statement...so what if punjab stop the follow of wheat and sugar to other provinces saying first right is their ? why didnt KPK CM start anti theft squad and help local Discos to recover losses...
I guess we're just not used to politicians doing their job right!
" said 16 per cent of the electricity produced in the country is the right of the province and it is just this right the PTI-led government is asking for."
Someone explain to me how this is selfishness? His job is to fight for the rights of his province, which is what he is doing!
@Shaheen and Khanzada... Do remember Punjab remained selfish about wheat it produced in 1998. K-P has not refused supply but Punjab had refused to open flour supply to K-P..
Down with the Imperialism of Punjab and Punjabis. We will took our Electricity by hook or by Crook and enough of loot khasoot by you. Also I am Proud of Imran Khan who is talking about Pukhtoons first and he has proved that blood is thicker than Water and Pukhtoon blood and even by living in Punjab Great Imran Khan know how cunning Punjabis are and I am proud of Imran Khan that he is directing Pukhtoons in a right direction. Also we demand an end of Industrial Zones of Faisalabad and Lahore and after getting electricity we will set up our own Industrial Units in KPK and will give them cheap electricity and then KPK will progress. Industrial Units of Sialkot, Faisalabad , Lahore and Multan will ultimately have to shift their operations in KPK as we will provide them with more conducive environment and ultimately our provincial economy with progress.
half of our province is underwater. and inreturn if we demand due rights on electricity , we are labeled as selfish. this is called pakistan.
This is not Punjab vs KPK vs Sindh vs Balochistan. The country, in general needs electricity. Let's just for a second stop measuring who needs what and who uses how much and solve genuine issues faced by the country - like providing electricity to a fledgling industry and economy.
@ Could you relate the title of this article to its contents ? Pathetic title.
he is not asking to keep all the electricity KPK produces, he is asking for 16% of it. He has not invented this 16% in his dream last night, this is the share of the province, but Punjabis wont understand this. Those who are threatening by declaring that other provinces will keep thier earnings are misleading others. If Sind is entitled to certain percentage of its gas produces then its fair , give them that share, who is objecting to it?. If people think that provinces are not entitled to their sahre than name the country Punjabistan. Chnage the system and the rule regulating shares of the provinces instead of blaming tose who ask for this fair share.
@Awan: Mister Awan, you sound very wrong.
Yes, Federal government pays the money to build dams. But the displaced people and the big area used is of the Provincial government. You can not utilize that area in any way. Right!. And by law the provincial governemnt will get the share of whatever is produced. You should know this. This is the best policy adopted. In fact in all over the world, the things produced/generated by any state needs to be bought by other states according to their rates.
Federal governemnt didnt give the Balochistan its share of gas and diverted it to mostly Punjab, which is so unfair. And now you can see the result.
P.S. If you hate PTI, you can. But please atleast support things which are according to law.
why they do not start their own provincial electricity projects. All projects which are currently running are owned by Fedral Govt. so rather than criticizing on Federal Govt come forward and prove for what you are criticizing on Punjab Govt for not producing their own electricity.
This is Bakwas........Electricity is produced in KPK all the industrial zones are in Punjab.Apparently the Fedration can't invest in KPK for industrial zones like Faisalabad.Also KPK can't ask for the royalties and its due share in Electricity. ..Gas used to be contributed by Balochistan before Now its KPK the industires are in Punjab....Cotton is produced in Sindh and the industries are in punjab... Wheat is contributed by Punjab .....The prices are high in other provinces......Can't you understand what's happening here ......It looks like Punjab is exploiting the resources of KPK/Sindh/Balochistan......
@A J Khan: Well truth always hurts my friend. How come you can support and finance some project when in the end you dont have any say on it and you will be blackmailed??
@Sarmad Hussain I know what i am talking about my friend. If any Dam will be approved then the major chunk of the Federal Budget will go there and one dam constitutes a 7 years period and Punjab with the highest population will have nothing in the long term and they will be fully dependent on other provinces for their own needs and they will be blackmailed time and again despite contributing to economy and to the developmental expenditure for making dams.
in which capicity CM Punjab is going every where with PM? Because he is a brother of PM or because PM is from Punjab? Who is selfish now? ET,DID YOU EVER FOCUSED THIS ISSUE? You cant because..............
Why dnt u guys blame the constitution then? ET now wants rifts b/w provinces. And does punjab give wheat for free? Is it a crime to ask for royalty?
Good Job ET, for calling KPK Govt SELFISH, lol These days everything looking selfish to ET people.
@MWK: Sindh is not generating but collecting 70% of revenue as financial offices are situated there.
Whenever their is shortage of wheat, punjab police even snatches even a 1 kg bag of flour from passengers, then why not they claim of the resources produced in their own province. Small province shouldn also be treated like the Punjab.
ET please, What selfishness ??? Thats their right to ask for their complete Share
what is ET doing? why this wrong headline! KPK is asking for its due share as per constitution! for every thing our media starts whining that rule of law should be there .. now why to mend the law to benifit only punjab?
What a biased reporting...shame on you E.T.
Dont mix things up Its Law that 16% FROM TOTAL PRODuction will be given to kpk.. then whats wrong if they demand 16% They have statuatory right on it
@Awan
Seriously dude ! what are you even talking about ?
@Zaffar: Its not about peace its about electricity........
@Awan: There you are in true colours
The Caption of the news is conspiracy and misleading. The CM is right in pointing out the mismanagement of WAPDA and Bureaucratic lethargy of Federal Government. The constitution has to be followed. It is the right of the Province as per 18th amendment and his offer of lending money for distribution network is grace of Pakhtunkhwa Government. The Energy projects should be devolved to the provinces so that the matter can be resolved by the Provinces at their own end too. The blocking of projects approved by Provinces should be taken as crime against the citizens of Pakistan
A very misleading heading of the article. Tribune is a better paper than this! Please correct.
Then it means there our constitution is also selfish which have this clause of first giving electricity to province who produces it..what kind of journalism is this..
Immature reporting. What's selfish about it. Actually I find his answers quite reasonable and mature.
If KPK is saying it is generating 16% of the electricity and they want complete share of it than this thing applies to every other thing as well.
For eg: Karachi (Sindh) is generating 70% of country's revenue than it should only be expensed to the well being of karachiites and KPK should get what they are generating.
Very shameful of you ET. If asking for one right is selfishness, than every human being on face of the earth is selfish.
ET again found on PTI's throat!!
Yeah everybody wants their own share of a shrinking pie. Instead of working to make the pie larger they are fighting for a larger share.
This is good because inefficient proivinces will only work harder when they have to face what they actully do!
you mean a province which has been burning for a long time is now decared selfish becuase it wanst to regain its pace & peace
@Shahid They r basically calling the govt of the province selfish. Rather then concentrating on bill collection and projects for electricity generation they are playing politics with electricity. Shahbaz Sharif used to do the same and Imran Khan said its the province's job.
If Punjab hold wheat, its Punjab's right but if other province asks for royalty or its right on its produce, its "selfish"- what kind of opinion is this?
Then what about the 71% of natural gas being produced by sindh ? If it stops giving to other provinces then what ??
He just trying to make political issue for upcoming by-elections.........thats all.
OK. then money earned/taxes collected from Karachi is also the right of karachi? :P think before you speak....think bigger then yourself - Everyone! We are 1 country / 1 nation.
Calling a province 'selfish'? what kind of mature journalism is this. Please reword your headline.
The title of the news is misleading. If KP was "selfish" about electricity, then Wapda house would have been in Peshawar instead of Lahore.
If 16% is given to kp then what will punjab get for its industries? Max we can give is 5% according to the population of kp.
Why not he suggest for Kala Bagh Dam? Its is great interest of KPK and entire country..
Just imagine if tomorrow 2 more dams worth more than 25 Billion US Dollars will be built and the next day KPK will announce that despite the fact that KPK contributed nothing in development but they are the sole owners of the Project and Province like Punjab should not talk about it despite the fact that Federal Revenue from which dams are being built and Sovereign Guarantees are given is generated mainly by Punjab then what will happen? Punjab government must not support any New dams in KPK as one new dam will cost around 13-15 Billion US Dollars but still KPK government will took ownership of it. The best Option is that Now Renewable energy Prices stood at around 1 Million US Dollars Per Megawatt and In 10 Billion US Dollars more than 10,000 Megawatts of Solar and Wing Energy can be produced without any Blackmailing of any Province and atleast Punjab Government should go for Renewable Energy rather than supporting any Dams where they have no right even to talk about it. .