ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik says the government is striving hard to generate extra electricity from solar, wind, and other energy resources to overcome load-shedding in the country.

Talking to the media here on Friday, he said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Energy Minister Khurram Dastgir to prepare a plan to generate electricity through solar for government buildings and the private sector. He expressed hope that before the general election, the government would be able to generate 4,000 to 5,000MW electricity through solar.

The Minister of State said “we have to rely on our own oil and gas reserves.”

He said a plan was also being formulated to generate electricity through solar power in the country.

Musadik Malik said gas exploration companies would be invited to devise a strategy to explore additional local gas including tight gas.

He said under a deregulation programme through competition bidding private sector would be asked to build LNG terminals and import gas.

Incentives would be given to young graduates for establishing small businesses.

He further criticized the PTI government which amended OGRA Ordinance 2002 to allow OGRA to notify its determined gas prices within 40 days and the government would not be able to facilitate the masses. Responding to agreements with the IPPs during the previous PML-N government, he said it helped to increase about two and a half percent to the GDP.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022