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.”
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