Backtracking: Abid Sher Ali appreciates K-P govt’s efforts to curb power theft

State minister says construction on Dasu Dam to take off soon with help of international aid.

PESHAWAR: Making a u-turn after a series of controversial statements, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali lauded the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government for controlling power theft. Ali said this on Wednesday at a joint news conference with K-P Governor Sardar Mehtab Abbasi at Governor House, Peshawar.

The state minister went on to tell reporters that the centre did not blame the K-P government for electricity theft. Earlier in January, Ali had said the provincial government was backing power thieves and had blamed several Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf parliamentarians, including Shah Farman, for allowing their constituents to steal power.

However, on Wednesday, Ali appreciated Chief Minister Pervez Khattak’s efforts to curb theft and increase recovery.

K-P’s struggle to upgrade their power system will improve conditions in the province, he said. Positive results can be seen, such as additional electricity in the national grid, however, Ali added, the hot weather meant rough patches can be expected.

On the occasion, Abbasi said only Rs6 billion were left to be paid to the provincial government out of Rs125 billion in hydel profits. Any complaints by the K-P government can be taken up by the Council of Common Interests, he added.

Dasu Dam

Ali also shared the government’s plans to soon construct Dasu Dam with help of international aid. The project is expected to generate 4,000 megawatt (MW) of electricity eventually.

The World Bank issued a statement on Tuesday, approving a financing package for the development of the Dasu Hydropower Project, stage 1. According to the statement, the dam will have a 2,160MW plant on Indus River which can be expanded to generate 4,320MW at a later date.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2014.