Load-shedding must remain under 6 hours during summer, PM tells ministry

PM thanks World Bank for support for TDPs; reiterates commitment to help displaced people

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif directed the Ministry of Water and Power to ensure that load-shedding during the summer should not exceed six hours a day in urban areas and eight hours a day in rural areas, and to take steps for the conservation of electricity.

Chairing a meeting at PM House on the energy situation in the country, the prime minister said that the government is taking all steps necessary to meet the energy shortage in the country.

The premier directed the ministry to consider closure of shops and markets earlier in the evening to conserve energy.

Read: Government taking all steps to overcome energy crisis: PM

The prime minister was informed that the country is currently facing a shortfall of around 5000-6000 MW which is expected to rise with the passage of time and was briefed on the progress made in power generation projects undertaken to meet the shortfall.

He said the government expects to add around 10,000 MW of electricity to the national grid during its tenure, which includes generation through solar, wind, hydro, nuclear as well as LNG.

Read: Pakistan's electricity crisis will end by 2018, says PM Nawaz

The prime minister said that the PML-N government is focused on development and is confident that the increased availability of electricity would not only provide relief to the common man by reducing load-shedding, but also give a boost to the industrial and agricultural sectors.

'Economy improving'

In a meeting with a World Bank delegation, the prime minister said that the government inherited enormous challenges in 2013 but as a result of the its policies all economic indicators in Pakistan are now improving.

The prime minister added that the present government has energy, education, economy and the elimination of extremism set as priorities.

Read: Pakistan committed to strengthen economic ties with US: Nawaz

The World Bank delegation led by World Bank Vice President for the South Asia Region Annette Dixon met the premier at the PM House Thursday morning.

The prime minister said Pakistan’s macroeconomic situation is improving – inflation is at the lowest level in the past 13 years, foreign exchange reserves have increased considerably, while fiscal deficit is down. He thanked the World Bank for their continued support to Pakistan.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the government had taken decisive steps against terrorism and extremism, and that Pakistan had suffered enormously at the hands of terrorism, both in terms of financial loss and the loss of human lives.

Talking to the delegation about Temporarily Displaced Persons (TDPs), he said that the government is committed to help restore lives and livelihoods of TDPs affected by Operation Zarb-e-Azb. He appreciated World Bank's financial support for the TDPs.

Dixon congratulated the Prime Minister on the economic progress made by the country since 2013 and said there is huge potential in Pakistan’s economy, especially in the agriculture and dairy sectors.

She said the World Bank has scaled up its support for Pakistan due to better economic conditions in the country. She appreciated the steps taken by the government in improving relations with Afghanistan, adding that this would contribute towards lasting peace in the region.

Dixon also informed the Prime Minister about her visit to Lahore and her meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and her visit to Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) office yesterday.

Apprising the Prime Minister of her meeting with members of the business community in Lahore, she said they were appreciative that economic situation in Pakistan has stabilized.

The delegation extended their condolences on the tragic Army Public School attack.