Daily Times

Sir: The government has completely failed to address the real issue pertaining to the extensive and persistent electricity load shedding in the country. The government has always been portraying the shortfall in electricity generation because of a lack of generation capacity whereas the installed generation capacity even in March 2008 was more than 18,500 MW. The real issue has always been the inability of the government to tackle the problems of circular debt coupled with gas shortage, which has resulted in non-utilisation of the available capacity. According to its own claims, more than 3,000 MW have been added to the generation capacity in the last four years (although no details of these projects have been disclosed) but the situation remains the same, as currently there is a massive shortfall between supply and demand amounting to 8,500 MW. Although the president is reported to have taken ‘notice’ of the unprecedented load shedding, there are yet no signs of abatement in the 16-18 hours of mostly unscheduled load shedding even in urban areas. The government and in particular, the new minister for water and power, should take the nation into confidence regarding the measures that are being taken or being planned to solve this problem, which has not only made the lives of ordinary citizens miserable but has also seriously affected industry, rendering hundreds of people jobless.

HAFEEZULLAH AWAN

Islamabad