F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Division Omar Ayub Khan on Monday informed the Senate that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government collected Rs 120 billion more revenue in the energy sector in just 18 months.
“We have collected Rs 120 billion more revenue in energy sector in just 18 months of PTI government” he said while responding to a motion under Rule 218 regarding gas and power scarcity in the domestic and industrial sectors.
He said the government had started a campaign to check power theft in various parts of the country and FIRs against 30,000 people had been registered.
The minister said that about 4,000 persons had been put behind the bars for their involvement in power pilferage while hundreds of employees had been issued show cause notices for their involvement in corruption.
He said currently, there was zero load-shedding on around 80% feeders.
He said that the PTI government had brought improvement in the distribution system and the government was determined to end load shedding on the remaining 20 percent feeders by ending the electricity theft.
He said that circular debt had reached to Rs 450 billion during PML-N government. The minister said the previous governments did not enhance the power tariff despite NEPRA’s determination.
This move was aimed at winning the general elections and continued power supply to loss making feeders resulted in the piling up of Rs 200 billion in dues, he added.
He said one of the main reasons behind high circular debt was the adverse energy mix as the power sector was dependent on 60pc imported fuels.
“We have embarked upon on a plan to reverse this by 2030,” he said, adding that the current share of renewable energy in total mix was just 4pc that would be increased to 20pc by 2025 and to 30pc by 2030.
Omer Ayub said that no concession would be given to power pilferers and the circular debt would be reduced to zero by December, 2020.
The minister said that the PML-N government had artificially controlled dollar exchange rates. He said that about 24 billion dollar had been wasted by the PML-N government by artificially controlling the dollar rate.
He said that printing of currency notes by the PML-N government had also increased inflation.
The minister said that oil prices during PML-N regime dropped to 25 dollar per barrel but its benefit were not passed to the public. Criticizing the economic performance of PML (N) and PPP governments, he said the exports remained stagnant during their tenures and nothing was done by them to stabilize the economy.
