Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government is all set to take over the regulatory bodies to end their independence, monitoring and regulation role and transfer them to relevant ministries.

According to sources in the Inter- provincial Coordination Ministry, the issue would be discussed in the 30th meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) which will meet on December 15 at the Prime Minister’s Office. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will chair the meeting and it will be attended by all chief ministers as well.

The agenda of the meeting consists of seven points. However, the government has decided to end the independence of the regulatory bodies after their criticism on key decisions of the government, sources disclosed.

Sources added that as many as 12 regulatory authorities are working independently but some powerful ministers have pressed the government to transfer these regulatory authorities from the cabinet division to their respective ministries to keep them under a leash.

The issue was discussed in the last meeting of the CCI as well but due to the opposition of some provinces a decision could not be made.

Sources said that NEPRA, PEMRA, OGRA, PTA, PNRA, PPRA had taken some important decisions on their own in the recent past which has irked the government.

NEPRA and OGRA questioned the power distribution companies regarding power and gas theft, end of load shedding and recovery of billions of rupees from the defaulters, sources disclosed.

Even they openly criticised the government policies and decisions to shift the burden of power and gas theft to the consumers. The Water and Power Ministry and Petroleum Ministry wanted to increase the tariffs of their blue-eyed companies but the regulatory authorities refused, sources added.

They also said the CCI would take a final decision to conduct the population and housing censuses in March next year. On the other hand, the government has already assured the Supreme Court in this regard.