Daily Times

The National Assembly for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday failed to complete its business due to lack of quorum.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) Murtaza Javaid Abbasi pointed out the quorum which was seen clearly lacking near the end of the question-hour. As per NA rules of business, presence of at least 86 members (one-fourth of the 342-member house) is required to run its business.

As soon as the opposition member pointed the quorum, the speaker Asad Qaiser, announced the adjournment of the NA sitting till Friday without ordering vote-count. As per agenda released by NA secretariat, there were 26 agenda points to be taken during the session other than written answers of some questions raised by lawmakers. However, nothing could have been completed.

In the present regime of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), as per a report, 28 out of the 73 total sittings were adjourned due to lack of quorum. It also stated that the incumbent National Assembly failed to see any improvement in the attendance of members, including Prime Minister Imran Khan. Meanwhile, in a reply to a question by Shagufta Jamani, Minister for Power Division Muhammad Hammad Azhar said that the average cost of providing electricity is Rs16.43, while the life line consumers are provided the highest amount of subsidy in electricity tariff by the government. He added that the amount of subsidy at current rates is Rs12.48. “The NEPRA determined the rate of electricity to such consumers’ at Rs3.95 per unit and the tariff for such consumers was fixed at 3.95, after an increase of Rs1.95,” the minister explained. He said that during the Month of July this year 1,539,209 consumers were billed as life line consumers while the cost of providing electricity to such consumers was Rs 20 per kWh.

The Minister further claimed that the process of power policy, devised on various stages, was almost completed and now on the stage to impalement the MoUs. Hammad Azhar added that the process of closure of low efficiency thermal power plants (GENCOs) of around 4221MW capacity of Guddu and Nandipur power plant has also been started. For the efficient utilisation of the efficient generation portfolio, he recalled, coupled with the associated socio-economic benefits of industrial demand growth the government launched a support package for industrial consumers.

Hammad Azhar said that the funds amounting to Rs200 million have been allocated in financial year 2020-21 fir 132 KV Kapato Grid Station Allied D/Ckt Transmission line in district Kalat while Rs 100 million against the allocation of Rs200 million also have been released by power division so for. “The pace of the aforementioned project is in accordance with the prescribed schedule. It is further intimated that remaining funds against the total cost of project that is Rs 603 million, may be released to QESCO well in to so that the project will be completed up to June 2022,” the minister responded to the question.