ISLAMABAD: After holding two-day back-to-back meetings, the federal government and the provincial government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Monday agreed to jointly work to overcome power losses aimed at curtailing load-shedding in the province.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, following a meeting, Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur said that load-shedding is a big public problem and we have discussed the issue in detail during the meeting.
He said that we have assured the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government will play its role in addressing different shortcomings in the system as well as reducing electricity losses.
CM Gandapur meets federal ministers to discuss electricity-related issues
We have solved the issues through mutual consultation and both the province and Power Division would work jointly over the causes of line losses, the chief minister said. “The work on our part will be done by the province, and our parliamentarians will start a drive to raise awareness regarding the matter,” he said.
The chief minister said that we bring out a way under which the public will get relief as well as line losses will decrease. He further said that it was also agreed to provide immediate relief to the people of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa till the strategy to overcome losses starts yielding dividends.
He said the provincial government will also go for solarisation in different parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa so that electricity losses can be controlled. “We have conceived a strategy to make Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa a load-shedding-free province,” he said
To a question, Gandapur said that political movement and administrative affairs of the province are two different things. As PTI has formed a government in a province; therefore, negotiations are necessary for the solution of public problems. He said that PTI’s founding chairman always stated that we have no war with institutions. We need to move forward to bring a solution to the problems.
Gandapur further said that our stance is clear that our mandate has been stolen. Our cases are in different courts and we will get relief from there. However, Leghari said that despite political differences between PTI and government-allied parties they have recognised Pakistan’s agenda.
The interior minister has played a vital role in resolving the issue, he said, adding that we have shared our plan with each other.
He said that the chief minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has informed the Power Division about the problems faced by the KP province. We have to bring a solution to the problems and by Tuesday evening or before it, the model discussed during the meeting will be finalised, he said, adding that the plan we have discussed today would not only be implemented in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa but also be replicated in other provinces.
The minister said that the plan presented by chief minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is community-based and it would help in curtailing electricity theft. As per the plan, parliamentarians will launch an awareness drive regarding electricity theft, he said.
He said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and other allied parties have taken a big step for the improvement of the country’s economy.
To a question about the meeting of the interior minister with JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, he said that he has relations with the Maulana for the last 25 years. Should I end the relation with Fazal, if he becomes the interior minister, he asked.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024