Punjab paid 4billion for electricity:Sardar Zulifqar khosa

Lahore:Senior Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister, Senator Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa has said that despite payment of Rs.4 billion to federal government under the head of electricity, unequal loadshedding and non-improvement in the supply of electricity in the province is a great injustice meted out to the Punjab. He said that Punjab government has taken steps for saving electricity and its minimum use. Punjab Chief Minister is continuously performing his duties in tent office in this regard but federal government is not serious in overcoming the issue of loadshedding, he added.

He expressed these views while presiding over a meeting of Loadshedding Management Cabinet Committee at 90-Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam, here today. Provincial Minister Ch. Abdul Ghafoor, Advisor to Chief Minister, Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Princiapal Secretary to Chief Minister Nadeem Hassan Asif, secretaries of home, finance, energy, local government and labour departments, IG Punjab and Additional Secretary Information were present in the meeting. The meeting was informed that protest by the labourers and business community facing loadshedding is their democratic right but under the garb of protest, unscrupulous elements will not be allowed to destroy public and private properties and involve in loot and plunder. He said that 32 generators have been purchased for meeting the shortage of potable water while 50 other generators have been purchased for the disposal of rain water during monsoon. He said that where there are no generators, water tankers of WASA have been arranged for provision of water so that continous supply of potable water could be made to the people.

The Senior Advisor directed the administration that heavy contingent of police should be deployed for the security of public and private offices and grid stations during protest demonstrations. He said that peaceful protestors 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 7852 MW electricity was provided against the demand of 13373 MW to the province yesterday and there was a shortfall of 5521 MW. It was further informed that duration of load-shedding remained 10 hours in Lahore, 13 hours in Multan, 12 hours in Faisalabad, 9 hours in Gujranwala and 10 to 12 hours in Rawalpindi.