Only Punjab’s shortfall of 5584 MW:Sardar Zulifqar Khosa

Senior Advisor to Chief Minister, Senator Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa has said that protest against load-shedding is democratic right of labourers and businessmen facing agonizing load-shedding but under the garb of protest, unscrupulous elements will not be allowed to destroy and ransack national and public properties.

This was stated by him while presiding over a meeting of Load-shedding Management Cabinet Committee at Darbar Hall, Civil Secretariat, here today. Provincial Ministers Ch. Abdul Ghafoor, Malik Nadeem Kamran, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Nadeem Hassan Asif, IG Punjab, Secretaries of Home, Finance, Energy, Local Government and Labour Departments besides Additional Secretary Information were present on the occasion. The meeting was informed that 32 generators have been purchased for meeting the shortage of potable water while 50 for drainage of monsoon rain water. It was further informed that water tankers of WASA are providing water in those areas where generators are not available.

Senior Advisor directed the administration to deploy heavy contingent of police for the safety of public and private offices and grid stations during the protest demonstrations. He said that participants of peaceful protests should not be arrested rather a vigilant eye should be kept on mischievous elements during protests and they should be arrested and awarded deterrent punishment.

The meeting was informed that 7516 MW electricity was provided against the demand of 13100 MW to the province yesterday and there was a shortfall of 5584 MW. It was further informed that duration of load-shedding remained 13 hours each in Lahore and Multan, 11 hours in Faisalabad, 12 hours in Gujranwala and 10 to 12 hours in Rawalpindi.