Shehbaz Sharif, President of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, has claimed that the public are suffering from power and gas load-shedding due to the PTI’s “incompetence and desire for money.” Shehbaz expressed concern over the disruption in the supply of gas to industries and the CNG sector and said that it is, indeed, “bad news for the nation.” According to Shehbaz, the “never-ending problem” of power and gas load-shedding has been ongoing for several months, indicating government incompetence. The government’s assertion that the PML-N generated more energy than was necessary during its term has been proven wrong, he said, adding that time has demonstrated how the PML-N boosted power generating capacity while keeping the country’s requirements in mind. Last week, Shehbaz said that the PTI-led government had imposed the curse of power load-shedding on the people. “There can be no greater crime than this,” Shehbaz had remarked at a news conference with fellow PML-N leaders in Lahore. “When the PML-N was in power, it made steps to fully eradicate electrical load-shedding. The PTI, on the other hand, has once again exposed the whole country to the misery of load-shedding “he had stated “There is no crime more heinous than this.” In reaction to Shehbaz’s comments, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar warned him that he should “not mislead people” with his views, noting that power load-shedding occurs due to transmission system flaws, not a lack of output. “We have been successfully supplying 24,000 megawatts of electricity to the public for many days,” Azhar added, noting that Pakistan’s average power usage is 16,000 megawatts. He chastised the previous PML-N administration for installing power plants that ran on imported fuel, incurring additional expenditures, while singing praises for its achievements. “How come the circular debts increased by Rs1,200 billion if the PML-N made inexpensive deals?” Azhar inquired. In response to the PML-allegation N’s that people are suffering from excessive load-shedding, Azhar stated that he has discussed the matter with the National Transmission & Despatch Company (NTDC), and that no unexpected load-shedding will take place anywhere in the nation. Taking a dig at Shehbaz, Azhar said the PML-N leader’s health has deteriorated since the government barred him from visiting the United Kingdom. “We’re already coping with the shambles that [the PML-N] created during their reign. Please don’t lead them astray any further “Azhar has stated previously.