Prime Minister Imran Khan Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to resolve the issue of gas shortfall in the country with a week.
The prime minister gave the directives while presiding over a meeting of the cabinet committee on energy in Islamabad. The meeting was briefed about steps taken to address gap in demand and supply of gas in the country.
The managing director of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) informed the participants about steps taken against the use of gas compressors. He said that 5,000 gas connections have been disconnected over the use of illegal compressors.
A detailed briefing was also given on electricity pilferage. Officials said up to Rs 1.5 billion were saved in November 2018 as result of a campaign launched against power theft. They said so far 16,000 cases have been registered over electricity theft. The committee was informed that around 12-13 percent gas in the system was being pilfered and yearly losses in gas sector were up to Rs 50 billion.
The prime minister directed officials concerned to resolve the issue of gap in demand and supply of gas through improved coordination and further speed up campaign against power pilferage. “People bearing the brunt of someone’s theft and mismanagement is unacceptable,” he asserted.
The prime minister was also presented a report on the recent gas crisis in the country which identified the individuals responsible for suspension of gas supply, primarily in Sindh. A private TV channel reported that the report recommended immediate removal of the managing directors of the SNGPL and the SSGC for their incompetency which led to gas crisis in the country.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the PM Office said the government was introducing a new policy regarding renewable energy which is aimed at ensuring full usage of the national resources and resolution of issues facing the energy sector.
Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that government continued to tackle polio eradication as a national public health emergency.
Talking to Director General World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreye, who along with President of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Development Division Dr Christopher Elias called on him, the prime minister said the polio vaccination activities were well organized in close collaboration with provinces and were directly overseen by the national, provincial and divisional task forces. The prime minister expressed commitment of his government for complete eradication of polio from the country. He expressed the hope that WHO would continue as a reliable partner in government efforts to improve health for all in Pakistan.
Dr Tedros Adhanom congratulated the prime minister on his victory in the general elections. He said that WHO had increased its focus on public health, country-level impacts and bringing improvements in people’s access to health related knowledge and information. He also informed the prime minister about WHO’s ongoing programmes and projects in Pakistan.
The prime minister said that Pakistan attached importance to WHO and appreciated the role of WHO in the healthcare system. The government is determined to implement a transformative social and economic agenda for a Naya Pakistan, the prime minister said, and reiterated his commitment to move forward to achieve the sustainable development agenda. Dr Christopher Elias, president of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Development Division, delivered a letter from Bill Gates to the prime minister.
Meanwhile, talking to Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Qasim Khan Suri and MNA Munawara Bibi Baloch, the prime minister said that government was aware of problems of the Balochistan people and all possible effort would be made to address them.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeem ul Haq, Malik Aamir Dogar and Secretary General Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf Arshad Dad were also present in the meeting.
They discussed in detail the reorganization of the party in Balochistan province. Development schemes, provision of water and unemployment in Balochistan province also came under discussion.
Published in Daily Times, January 9th 2019.