Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif castigated the federal government for its failure on power policies and said that protests against these policies by people were not his instigated whereas the poor people, who were sick of severe load shedding, were venting out their feelings in protests He said this while addressing Punjab Assembly's 38th session here on Tuesday He in his address appealed to people not to damage public property or harm anybody during protest.
Shahbaz averred that they are working to produce electricity through sugar cane waste for the last three months. He said they were also in consultation with Chinese companies on Taunsa project for production of electricity. Chief Minister stated that rental power companies contacted them to provide electricity at 9cents per unit while federal government got this electricity deal at 18 cents per unit.
He said that he would never allow killing of people, protesting against load shedding. He averred that besides accumulation of large circular debt of Rs 400 billion, industries of Punjab are severely hit because of electricity crisis. He opined that if Rs 200 billion was given under the head of circular debt, 4000 megawatt would have come in the system. He added that it was on record that 650 megawatt is being transferred out of Punjab. He continuing with his statement dilated that out of Rs 400 billion circular debt, a total of Rs 100 billion were due from three provinces. He stated that Rs 40 billion were to be received from KESC.
He highlighted that factories were being run in Punjab from for three to four days while in comparison they were being run in other province for six days. He said even federal government has to pay Rs 20 billion out of total circular debt. Here quoting example of Faisalabad, he mentioned that line loses of this city was 10 percent while recovery percentage was 98 percent. He asked to look at the havoc which load shedding has done to industry of this vital national productivity base. During the session opposition leader Raja Riaz made objection that protest against load shedding was provincial government instigated. Chief Minister Punjab earlier had dilated that house of their minister Nadim Kamran was even attacked in Sahiwal
In cut motion on police in Demand for Grants, MPA Simel Kamran criticised law & order situation in the province stating that Faisalabad is number one in crime ratings while Lahore remained at number two in this rating, she pointed. Chaudhry Zaheer-u- Din opposition leader also criticised law & order situation in Punjab on the occasion. In discussion on budget a rumpus prevailed throughout the session when Rana Muhammad Iqbal Chair adjourned the session for today (Wednesday).
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