A Leader of Pakistan Muslim (Nawaz), Ms Memona Hashmi, MNA, has said the government's biggest crime was ignoring the demands for energy, pointing out its failure to initiate even a single power generation project in its eight years period.
"The government did not even bother to maintain the already installed power stations, resulting in below installed capacity electricity generation. If the situation continues, the power shortfall could reach 1,500 MW next year and 10,000 MW in 2010," she claimed.
Talking to journalists here on phone, she said that 40 percent industry had so far been closed due to non-availability of required electricity and many industrial units had closed their one shift rendering thousands of people jobless. She also said the government had imposed ban on the self-generation of electricity in Southern Punjab under a well-planned conspiracy.
Memona Hashmi said the current GDP growth was the result of over $60 billion poured into the national exchequer after the 9/11 events in US, including $25 billion in remittances, buying of $6 billion from the open market, over $10 billion in US assistance and the loans the country received after joining the war on terror.
"The average GDP growth stood at 2.5 percent during the first three years of President Musharraf's rule. Nine-Eleven changed the situation," she said.
MNA Memona said the government, despite receiving over $63.5 billion, including privatisation proceeds since 9/11, had failed to help the common man. She said the government had failed its first real test and invested all the money for the welfare of the rich and the development of Defence Housing Societies. This further widened the gap between the rich and the poor, she added.
Memona Hashmi said the present regime had failed to conceive or launch even a single mega project. She said all the current projects, including Gwadar Port, Makaran Coastal Highway and motorways, were conceived and launched by the Nawaz government.