The Power Division is all set to face another 'doomsday' in the Cabinet on Tuesday (March 17) during a presentation on power sector, and replies of questions sent by ministers on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
On March 10, 2020, the Power Division informed the Cabinet that responses to written questions by the members could not be presented as questions were received in the ministry on March 9, 2020, leaving little time for preparation.
The meeting of members, who had submitted written queries, could be held on March 12, 2020, wherein their questions would be answered in detail. The members pointed out that the questions were conveyed to the Power Division through the Cabinet Division on March 6, 2020 and the Division had sufficient time to present the responses during the Cabinet meeting. The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum Division apprised the Cabinet that he was preparing a detailed document on power sector reforms, which would be ready in 5-6 days for circulation among the Cabinet members. He suggested that a special Cabinet meeting with single-point agenda could thereafter be held to apprise the members about future roadmap of power sector reforms and respond to their queries in detail.
The Cabinet directed the Power Division to submit written replies to the members to their respective queries within two days and thereafter hold a Q and A session with these members.
The gist of replies, to the queries would be presented by the Power Division in the next Cabinet meeting, which is scheduled for Tuesday (today). The Cabinet also decided to hold a special meeting of the Cabinet with single-point agenda "power sector reforms" after circulation of the document by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Petroleum.
However, sources in the Power Division are of the view that no one can deny improvement in recovery and reduction in losses but in fact some people who are unhappy with the Power Division because their "favourite" XENs and SDO are not being deputed to their "selected" stations.
An insider told this scribe that one of the very influential federal ministers from south Punjab was also annoyed with the top officials of the Power Division, after he failed to get restored an influential senior official in Mepco, who was removed on the basis of concrete evidence including video of receiving bribe.
The concerned minister had threatened that he would "see" the senior official who refused to oblige the "illegal" request.
"If we post favourite XENs and SDOs of cabinet members at lucrative stations, no one will be good [considered better] than us, but we have to act as per [the] law and in [the] best national interests," said one of the officials on condition of anonymity.
The Power Division is also facing similar situation in the KP. In addition, opposition of Kazi committee mechanism of the NHP is also one of the reasons of criticism in cabinet.
The sources said, Chairman Nepra Tauseef H Siddiqui fueled the situation, when he challenged the claims of the Power Division about recovery, losses and circular debt.
The Cabinet members also citing the report of chairman Nepra in the cabinet meetings to grill the top brass of the Power Division including the Minister for Power and Petroleum, Omar Ayub Khan.
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