Premier seeks emergency plan to reduce power shutdown: Marriyum
Irked by prolonged outages, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday warned the top officials of the power ministry that they would be dismissed from service if the duration of loadsheding exceeds two hours a day.
Shehbaz Sharif convened an emergency meeting to deliberate on the reasons behind the power outages across the country and measures to overcome the problem. The Ministers and top officials of the power division attended the huddle.
PM Shehbaz Sharif reprimanded the ministers and officials concerned over the ongoing prolonged loadshedding amid the sweltering weather in the country.
The power officials earned the prime minister’s anger when they told him that only two hours of loadshedding is being observed in the country.
“Over 10 hours of loadshedding is being carried out on a daily basis across the country. I am not ready to trust in your lie,” replied the prime minister. “Loadshedding for more than two hours is not acceptable. Do whatever,” PM Shehbaz directed the officials. Rejecting the explanations, the prime minister directed the ministers and officials to get the people rid of the trouble.
“People need relief from loadshedding,” the PM said, adding that there will be no compromise on it.
Meanwhile, in a tweet on Saturday night, Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called an emergency plan within next 24 hours to reduce load-shedding.
She said the Prime Minister has directed the committee consisting of Ministers of Energy, Petroleum and Finance to submit a workable plan in this regard.
She said the government will effectively implement the plan for gradual reduction in load-shedding. The Minister said that a five-hour long meeting chaired by the Prime Minister in Islamabad on Saturday took stock of the load-shedding situation in the country.
Marriyum said the Prime Minister was briefed in detail on the overall energy situation in the country, while industrial and domestic consumers were briefed on the impediments in power supply.
The Minister said the Prime Minister directed the concerned ministers to balance the supply of electricity to industry and domestic consumers.
Marriyum Aurangzeb said the Prime Minister directed that a plan be drawn up so that the people themselves would feel the reduction in load shedding.
Marriyum further said the government has welcomed the ceasefire extended by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban. Responding to a question during a news conference in Islamabad, she said negotiations are being held with the TTP at the government level.
The Information Minister said the Afghan government is facilitating the talks, which have the representation of the civilian government as well as of the military.
