LAHORE – Calling for a uniform loadshedding of electricity and gas in the country, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that discriminatory distribution of energy is unacceptable to Punjab.
Talking to All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) delegation led by its Chairman Ahsan Bashir at Model Town, on Friday, the chief minister said the issue of unjust attitude towards Punjab regarding electricity loadshedding was raised at the Council of Common Interests, but the decisions of the Council had not been implemented so far. “Lakhs of labourers are being rendered jobless because of complete suspension of the electricity supply after gas to the industries in Punjab, and their domestic lives have been affected,” the chief minister added. He said the economy was suffering irreparable loss because the country’s exports had been affected severely. He said the people of Punjab should get their just right at any cost.
The chief minister said the energy crisis was worsening with every passing day because of corrupt rulers sitting in Islamabad and no attention had been paid in this direction despite the passage of five years. “The PML -N believes in national solidarity and harmony. We have a clear stance from day one that there should be a uniform and equitable distribution of resources across the country while difficulties should also be shared,” he maintained. Shahbaz said Punjab had always played the role of elder brother and had sacrificed its resources for other provinces on several occasions. He said at the agreement on National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, the Punjab set great examples of sacrifice and brotherhood and gave billions of rupees to Balochistan from its own share.
He said it was decided at the meeting of the Council of Common Interests and the energy conference that uniform loadshedding of electricity would be carried out across the country and the injustice meted out to Punjab would be compensated but these decisions had not been implemented. The chief minister assured the APTMA delegation that he would take every possible step to resolve their problems. The APTMA delegation briefed the chief minister on the situation created after the suspension of electricity and gas to the industrial sector. MNA Pervez Malik, Special Assistant Khawaja Salman Rafique, secretary industries, secretary energy, APTAMA officer-bearers Shahzad Ali Khan, Gohar Ejaz, SM Bashir, SM Tanveer, Wishal Monnu and Sheikh Akbar were also present on the occasion.