The PM said that there is no reason behind loadshedding and electricity should be provided
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reprimanded the Ministry of Water and Power officials on Tuesday over a rise in load shedding in several parts of the country.
Presiding a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy, the premier expressed his displeasure and said that the authorities in the concerned ministry will be held responsible for not doing immediate planning on the issue.
The PM said that there is no reason behind loadshedding and electricity should be provided.
The authorities informed the prime minister that the rise in load shedding was because of an increase in the demand for electricitydue to severe heat in the country.
Responding over the given justification, PM Nawaz said that rather than providing excuses the authorities should address citizens' complaints at the earliest.
According to the latest update, the shortfall of electricity has reached 7,000 megawatt across the country.
Earlier on April 10, PM Nawaz chaired the committee’s previous meeting and directed the authorities concerned to ensure early completion of ongoing power projects without compromising on efficiency and quality of work.
"No laxity would be tolerated with regard to timelines for completion of the ongoing projects," he said.
He also directed for enhancing coordination among different governmentorganisationsto facilitate end consumers.
The prime ministeremphasisedthat it was the highest priority of the government to completely eliminate load-shedding in the shortest possible time.
He said the government had steadfastly worked in the last three years to achieve the cherished goal post and all the base work for achieving this target had been completed.
"With more than 8,000 megawatts of new generation scheduled to come into the national grid before June 2018, we are well on course for a load-shedding free Pakistan," he added.
The government, the prime minister said, was not only focusing on the prevailing energy shortfalls in Pakistan but was determined to provide for the growing future energy requirements of the country.
It was informed that a total of 5,710 megawatts would be added to the system by the end of 2017. The issues of circular debt, recoveries, and line losses were also discussed.