LAHORE - Water and Power Minister Ahmad Mukhtar has said that his statement that there would be no loadshedding during Sehar and Iftar was not a final word; rather, it was his “wish in good intention”.
Talking to media here on Saturday, the minister said that a thunderstorm affected 22 electricity pylons in Muzaffargarh area due to which people had to face loadshedding during Sehar and Iftar for some days. “But now they are getting uninterrupted power supply,” he claimed.
Mukhtar said he is an opponent of Chaudhary brothers and will continue to oppose them regardless of his party’s stance. In democracy, he added, everyone has a right to criticise or oppose his or her political opponents.
“If we talk about seat adjustment between PPP and PML-Q, Chaudhrys should not contest election against me because I defeated Ch Shujaat in last election,” Mukhtar remarked.
Talking further about power issue, he said that those who say Punjab was being discriminated against regarding power supply were wrong. He said Punjab consumes 68 per cent of the total electricity generation.
To a question, the minister said those who involved in electricity pilferage would not be spared. He said that Punjab chief minister had been requested to dedicate some police stations to deal with power pilferage cases.
Mukhtar admitted that issues like electricity theft should have been addressed in the past four years of PPP government but said that all issues cannot be resolved at the same time. He said his party would address the problems related to the energy sector and it would again come into power.
Mukhtar said the government is focusing on the utilisation and promotion of hydel and coal resources in energy generation. He said it would be inexpensive electricity as compared to thermal which will help provide relief to consumers.
He said to fulfil the electricity demand was a top priority
of the government as early as possible for which a number of initiatives were being taken to ensure maximum relief to consumers.