Expressing deep concern over the looming power crisis in the country, Pakistan Peoples Party on Friday alleged that it was due to corruption, neglect and mis-governance in the power sector and asked the regime to address it urgently.
In a statement here, PPP spokesperson former Senator Farhatullah Babar said load shedding in hot summer had not only made the lives of people miserable but also led to closure of industries and adversely affected national productivity.
General Musharraf had been making promises of ending load shedding for the past several years but the pathetic state of power sector mocks at the tall claims of the regime, he said.
The PPP government during the three-year period between 1993-96 added 7,000 megawatts to the national grid from the independent power producers (IPPs) and another 1000 MW from Ghazi Barotha hydel station, he said. But the addition to the national grid during eight years of Musharraf rule had been dismal at less than 2,000 MW, he said.
Corruption and bad governance lay at the root of the problem, which was evident from the way KESC was privatised in a non-transparent manner and the utility was sold to a group who reportedly had not even seen a power plant, let alone owning and operating it, he claimed.
He asked the regime to address the issue of power shortage on urgent basis instead of wasting public funds on non-productive projects like building another GHQ in Islamabad.