Daily Times

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) parliamentarians in National Assembly Standing Committee on Energy on Wednesday staged a walkout over what the claimed government’s failure to release funds for various development schemes approved by the previous government.

PML-N legislators Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Barjees Tahir, Riaz Hussain Pirzada and Khurram Dastagir claimed that the schemes had already been approved but the PTI government deliberately did not release funds, particularly for those projects which fell in the PML-N constituencies. “This is not PTI’s personal money,” they remarked.

PTI’s Asad Umar informed the committee that during the last five years, one MNA from Islamabad (Dr Tariq Fazal Ch) was issued Rs 55 billion for developmental schemes. “But, now even I could not get issued a single penny for my constituency. This is a routine thing and no one should worry about it,” he said. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MNA Shazia Marri was of the view that genuine concerns of the opposition legislators should be addressed.

Federal Minister for Energy Umar Ayub Khan assured the committee that all the projects in pipeline will be completed and that no one should worry about it.

Committee Chairman Imran Khattak said he will take decision over delay in executions of opposition development schemes.

PTI MNA Noor Alam Khan also expressed serious reservations over federal minister for energy and claimed that there is massive power load shedding in Peshawar area. He regretted that despite being a ruling party MNA, he has been unable to contact the minister. “Politicians are abused over mistakes on part of power ministry … Discos staff is itself involved in power theft,” he claimed. However, Umar Ayub Khan denied the charges and claimed that his doors are always open for every parliamentarian, including those from the opposition. He also accepted that there are some black sheep in the system, adding that steps are being taken to oust them, and also asked the committee to help him in this regard.

The minister told the committee that theft of electricity has been considerably reduced in the country, adding that 80 percent feeders have been cleared of electricity theft and work is in progress to clear the remaining ones. He said the system has been upgraded to prevent losses, adding that the present government is working to provide electricity to each and every citizen of the country.

PTI MNAs from the federal capital expressed annoyance over ban on issuing of power and gas connections in the ICT area. Asad Umar said when the regulator has no objection over giving new connections, CDA has no legal authority to ban such connections. He claimed that IESCO is not interested in lifting the ban on power connection because its officials are involved in taking bribes against issuance of new connections.

The ICT MNAs warned that they will hold a protest demonstration if the government did not allow power and gas connections. Umar Ayub Khan assured them that the matter will be addressed by coming Wednesday.

The committee expressed dissatisfaction on a briefing by K-Electric on the deaths caused during the recent torrential rains in Karachi. The committee asked NEPRA to submit a detailed report on the issue.

The minister told the committee that all vacant posts are going to be filled in near future. He further said that members should ask the provincial governments to address the sewerage and sanitation issues on priority in order to avoid untimely deaths.

The committee was also informed about the gas discovery of 5.38MMSCF from Well Pankhi No 1 in district Sanghar, Sindh. PPP MNA Shazia Marri stressed for employment of local people in the district and also wanted details of CSR activities there.

MNA’s Junaid Akber, Malik Anwar Taj, Noor Alam Khan, Shahid Ahmed, Aamir Sultan Cheema, Jai Parkash, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Khurram Dastgir Khan, Barjees Tahir, Riaz Pirzada, Raza Rabbani Khar, Shazia Marri, Zahid Akram Durrani, Syed Amin ul Haque, Ali Nawaz Awan, Asad Umar, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak, Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz also attended.