PPP wants to debate Nepra report in NA

Adjournment motion filed in assembly, to be taken up at the next session

ISLAMABAD: Opposition lawmakers appealed on Friday for a parliamentary debate on the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (NEPRA) damning assessment of water and power ministry’s performance.

On Friday, five PPP MNAs Naveed Qamar, Dr Nafisa Shah, Shazia Mari, Belum Hasnain and Imran Zafar Leghari submitted an adjournment motion in the National Assembly.



“Under rule 110 of the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the National Assembly, 2007, we, the undersigned, request that the proceedings of the house be adjourned to discuss the abysmal performance of ministry of water and power as revealed in the annual report of Nepra,” reads the text of the motion.

The report lifted the lid on how power companies failed to not only meet generation, transmission and distribution standards, but had also sent wrong bills to consumers, in addition to 70% overbilling.

PPP legislators say the report clearly states that the electricity shortfalls and load-shedding had been orchestrated by shutting down plants, while unlicensed generators were kept in operation. Line losses were also far beyond the allowed limit, costing consumers billions of rupees for inefficiency of the ministry, they added.

In addition to assessing performance of the water and power ministry, Nepra had criticised Karachi’s power utility, K-Electric, for failing to promptly rectify technical faults which would have prevented its distribution network from collapsing and continuing regular flow of transmission to consumers.

The motion is likely to be taken up at the next session of the National Assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2015.