K-P Chief Minister welcomed the move but demanded control over K-P's power generation setup too. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
The PM will write a letter to K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in a few days as an official notification inviting the provincial government to take over the reins of the power distribution company.
Express News correspondent Khalid Mehmood reported that Nawaz Sharif is acting according to the 18th Amendment, which allows provincial bodies to oversee generation and distribution of electricity.
The PM also plans to place the responsibility of all finances including revenue collection and the recovery of dues with the K-P government.
PTI responds
Hours after the Prime Minister's approval, PTI's official Twitter account responded saying Chief Minister Pervez Khattak welcomed the move to hand over PESCO, but the provincial government wanted control over K-P's entire power generation setup.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervaiz Khattak welcomes Prime Minister's statement on handing over PESCO to KP Government.
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 29, 2013
With news of handing over of PESCO by PM, CM KP demands of handing KP's setup of generating 4200MW of electricity to the KP Govt as well.
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 29, 2013
PTI further stated that the Prime Minister must ensure K-P's due share in the revenue generated from power generation after the transfer, as well as taking care of over Rs100 billion in dues to the provincial government.
Prime Minister must ensure share of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in over all revene profit earned after handing over PESCO to KP. CM Khattak
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 29, 2013
Prime Minister must also announce release of due payment of Rs100billion on account of Hydel Power to KP Govt. CM Khattak
— PTI (@PTIofficial) December 29, 2013
CM Khattak will soon write a letter to the federal government in this regard.
Background
The move comes days after PTI chief Imran Khan had said that the K-P government would eliminate power theft and generate cheap electricity for the people if Pesco was handed over to K-P.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif had said that immediate transfer of control was doable.
"Yes it [transfer of control] can be done immediately. He [Imran] can take control of Pesco and handle the distribution of electricity and recovery," he had said.
“This is not about us failing. Over the past three, four months, there has been a reduction in line losses and theft. We do not claim there has been radical change, but there has been reduction, there has been improvement.”
COMMENTS (43)
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I am OK with it just give us our resources its own us what we can do to them Federal govt stealing our resources since the independence
@mustafa abdurrehman: If your sole argument is that "water is ours", then what stopped your provincial government from making use of that water resource. Vast majority of hydro potential in KPK is still not utilised. Why is federal govt running around arranging financing for Dasu project. Why does PTI not take the lead and finance/build/operate it itself ?
PTI wants all the toys pid by the Fed Govt. That is not governance, its dishonest and disingenuous.
@Ahsan: PTI's position is not credible. By wanting control over power generation, they presumably want control of Tarbela dam, amongst others. What exactly did PTI or govt of KPK do to deserve that ? Did they finance it, design it, build it, operate and maintain it ?
PTI is looking for a free lunch. If only life was that easy !!!
@vick:
well sir, they produce at Rs1/unit (accepting that for argument sake) they steal 50% of that by not paying the bill. Entities become cash strapped because of low cash recovery hence the circular debt.
do you want to ruin your natural resources of SINDH? PPP cannot do justice with resources. many examples are set on board by PPP government@Saqib:
Dear PM Nawaz sharif please hand our control all the oil & gas resources of sindh to sindh I know you never do this because without sindh resources you are like an handicap person .if you are follower of the 18 amendment then give the resources to sindh clearly defines in 18the amendment like you starts giving to kpk starts from sindh instead
Its run for IK and his PTI to proof the claims that they make over the talk shows. Actions speak louder than words. Please now take the responsibility and bring the turnaround if not 100 % than 50% but don't make excuses.
Fellow commentators from Punjab have certain gross misconceptions. Sindh is the highest tax paying province; this includes both individual and corporate taxes. This holds true even if you exclude custom duties. Cities like Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gujarat and others have non-existent large tax payers unit due to the high level of tax evasion.
So its not punjabi tax payers money as people above seem to think!
@Khurram Awan: Bro have u forgot that according to constitution the people of the province have the first right on resources of their province.The people of sui uses woods for cooking and ur enjoying sui gas because u have discovered it in 50's.the water is our's lol.
@Khurram Awan: Excellent point!
These dams were built with federal money!!!
Stupid populist politics being played by PTI and trying to destroy whatever is left of the federation. And spineless PML N playing long.
@MythicalCMD: Did you read the article. PTI has already welcomed the offer. Furthermore, PTI has demanded the control of Power generation as well.
PTI is not one of those, who get scared, they enjoy challenges!
Wait and Watch!
@H M Abdullah: Hahahaha.....don't you worry about PTI. You don't know the capability of the people of PTI and you don't know what Asad Umar is capable of. He has brought companies from zero to sky high. That is with commitment and vision. Now you wont know what that is?
Nawaz has thrown ball into Imran's court, PTI should deliver now. There performance in KPK is no better than PPP in sindh and PMLN in capital. If PTI fails to come up with something in the next 2,3 years, we wont vote for them ever again.
Beating about the bush (aayein, baayein, shaayein) by youthias now :)
Well! To be honest, we Pakistanis(mainly Punjabis) have been paying more than 80% of Taxes to Federal Govt for the Installation of these Big projects...either they Install them in any part of country(For Example Neelam Jehlum Project, we are paying for that project for last many years that is going to be installed in Azad Kashmir)...
My Question is that KP Govt is going to Pay the cost of the Projects?? what about our money in other provinces??
There are such things which should be in Federal control until unless all provinces can make good at their own...
Regards
When power generation units were built, there was no KP or Frontier province. It was one Unit and it was called West Pakistan. The capital spent on these units belonged to all Pakistanis. Secondly, the generating price of these units is less because all loans and other liabilities have already been paid off from federal exchequre which was contributed by whole Pakistan, not by one province. If, KP wants to own these generating units, then it must pay back all costs incurred on these units minus its own share.
I hope it will not meet the same fate as Polio eradication teams.
Seriously? Its good move by PML (N) to increase trouble for PTI. Now its Asad Umer's turn to prove his CEO skill..
@furrukh rao,
Instead of doing drawing room politics and making up stuff from thin air. Can you please back your claim with some facts.
Here are some FACTS for you:
GSP (Gross State Product) in million USD:
Punjab - $94,930 - 58%
Sindh - $45,799 - 28%
KPK - $13,323 - 8%
Balochistan - $4,996 - 3%
FATA - $2,498
Islamabad - $1,332
Total = 162, 878
Here is the link where i got this information from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ListofPakistaniprovincesbygrossdomestic_product
Imran Khan is in his sense or what???. KPK dont own any dams. The dams were built by Federal Money and KPK cannot own any dams. Thez are the soul property of Federal government. If KPK wants to take hold of dams then Give the federation more than 20 Billion Dollars which is the current value of Mangla, Tarbela and Ghazi Barotha right now.
Electricity along with energy should remain a federal subject as is the case in all federations of the world.
Good Move. A good chance for PTI to stop crying and start proving itself.
This will be a test for PTI government in KPK to transform loss making PESCO into a profitable institute. It would require some time and serious efforts from KPK government.
I thought that was a mature step.
The KP government has very wisely rejected rejected the offer of transfer of distribution and recovery powers to the provincial government without control over power generation facilities in the province. The KP government will give a detailed response after the cabinet meeting. Anyway mere taking over distribution and recovery rights will land the KP government in a situation like Koeley ki dalali main kala.
ya they have capability to recover loses. PTI are almost fulfilling all the promises . long live pti
Nawaz is best PM
PM Nawaz Sharif if you have guts kindly hand over complete control of power generation and distribution . Giving approval of PESCO is just a political gimmick , sorry to say .
IK rightly said before elections: Aise experience sy Allah bachaye!
If the news is true. K-P has take to take the offer. Time to walk the talk.
Will the PM be honest enough to hand over both the generation and distribution of electricity to the KP government? Handing over both is necessary to allow KP produce and distribute power adequately and equitably in the province.
and state control to IMF
Well its about time Fed govt admitted their incompetence. Better late than never !
if PTI makes pesco a exemplary body like it claimed, I will vote PTI.
ha ha ha... Now, that is an interesting move by PML-N. Now, PTI would be in a deep trouble either way...
Will PTI accept the challenge or come up with new excuses?
Dear PM,
Can you do this with Baloch People and Provide the Wealthiest Province of Pakistan their Money we looting since decades.
They are the wealthiest people in Pakistan but we are pulling their resources since decades and we don't let our brothers live as a peaceful life.
I know most of the Baloch people will not agree but can you officially apologize for not sharing the wealth of Balochistan region with their Natives ?
Regards,
NOT A BALOCH.
It will be great decision if privatize PESCO or hand over to some foreign supply company. Handing over PESCO to KP government will definitely increase power loss, loading, and electricity thieves which is already at 90%. Most of the PESCO and government employees, politicians, statues holders, bureaucrats and other government staff are electricity thieves. Better way to privatize and highly strike monitoring task force assigned to overcome the electricity thieves and refund the pending bills. Else just by handing over PESCO to KP means the last episode of PESCO death.
People have forgot how to work to live and seem prepared to pay for others to do it .Electricty is one of the problem, Why Should I pay that some one other is stealing??? In my household we live well but without electricity for hours and hours in this age of inflation we work even on a sunday not for others but for ourselves. Today I have worked someones in software house to earn some money to run my house.. we todays main meal has our own wheat broad and some lantiles and apples from my father farm in Swat and living in Peshwar with such high heat in summer with out electricity is hard hope PTI will reform in this matter too..
hahahha nice move by PML-N......they want to trouble PTI by handing over pesco......this wont give any relief to kpk ppl......as they produce electricity fo less than 1 Rs but pay more than 10 Rs per unit as same is distributed by national grid.....what should hve been done is to give electricity on reasonable rates to kpk as it produces far more than its own needs.
Thank You Mr. PM