LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that energy crisis is causing irreparable loss to the national economy and all sectors including agriculture are being badly affected.
Presiding over a meeting here on Friday regarding holding of Energy Conference convened by the prime minister on April 9, he said there was a need for serious thinking for overcoming shortage of electricity.
It was attended by MNA Pervaiz Malik, Vice Chairman Punjab Investment Board Dr. Muftah Ismail, Chairman Planning & Development, provincial secretaries of various departments and energy experts.
The CM said Punjab was facing worst crisis of energy and a step-motherly treatment was being meted out to Punjab with regard to loadshedding which should be stopped.
The meeting reviewed in detail energy problems being faced by the
Punjab province and there was a consensus of opinion that loadshedding in Punjab was much more than other provinces and industries had closed due to unscheduled power outages. Labourers have been rendered jobless and the export sector has been badly affected. The meeting also reviewed the arrangements for holding energy conference.
The chief minister further said there was a need to make arrangements on emergent basis for coping with energy crisis. He hoped that the holding of energy conference in provincial metropolis would help the federating units to make a comprehensive planning to overcome energy crisis. He said Punjab government was working on various projects of power generation from bagasse, hydel, coal and other resources and Energy Department was actively engaged to complete these projects speedily. The participants of the meeting submitted various proposals for holding of energy conference and overcoming shortage of energy.
condolence: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has expressed deep sense of sorrow and grief over the sad demise of brother-in-law of Ansar Abbasi, a senior journalist. In a condolence message, the Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and strength to the members of the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude.