Areas with line losses being subjected to loadshedding, PM told. Shehbaz invites Chinese firms to establish textile industry in Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to minimise the ongoing load-shedding in different areas through better load management, considering the public relief in sizzling weather.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting on load management and power theft, reiterated that the government would deal strictly with the power thieves and the ongoing mission against them would be taken to the logical end.
Vowing to hold a monthly review of the power theft situation, he asked the provincial governments, law enforcement agencies and other departments to extend their support in the anti-power theft drive in the national interest and for the country’s progress. The prime minister told the participants of the meeting that the government in no way would tolerate the over-billing.
He directed to accelerate the privatisation process of the power distribution companies by engaging the experts and formulate a strategy to solarise the tube wells in Balochistan.
During the briefing on load management and power theft issue, it was told that under a joint strategy formulated following a conversation between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and federal minister for power, it had been agreed to reduce load shedding and line losses and ensure recovery of dues from defaulters in the province.
It was told that areas with more power theft and line losses and low recovery ratio were being subjected to load shedding and that the upgradation of the south-north power transmission line would help improve the system.
The meeting participants were told that task forces were being formed at provincial and divisional levels to eliminate the power theft which would undergo a weekly performance review.
The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Dr Musaddik Malik and Awais Ahmed Leghari, Minister of State Ali Pervaiz Malik, Coordinator to PM Rana Ehsan Afzal, WAPDA chairman and relevant senior officers. The provincial chief secretaries and inspector generals of police joined the meeting via video link.
Also, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday assuring all-out facilitation by his government, invited Chinese companies, particularly related to the textile sector, to establish their industry in Pakistan.
The prime minister, chairing a meeting to discuss the promotion of Pakistan-China cooperation, said China was a key partner in Pakistan’s development. Pakistan desires to enhance cooperation with China in agriculture, information technology, and energy besides enhancing its exports to China.
In the meeting, different ministries presented their proposals to promote the Pakistan-China economic relationship, a PM Office press release said.
The prime minister reiterated that the government would provide foolproof security to Chinese nationals working in Pakistan as a comprehensive security plan had already been formulated.
He told the participants of the meeting that the government was preparing for the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and expressed the hope that with China’s cooperation, Gwadar Port would become a logistics hub.
Prime Minister Shehbaz said that the CPEC second phase would also feature the establishment of Agriculture Demonstration Zones, and instructed the ministries to prepare for the launch of new projects with Chinese cooperation and enhancing business-to-business linkages.
He told the meeting that China could also assist Pakistan in formulating a strategy to boost its exports.
Federal ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Attaullah Tarar, Dr Musaddik Malik, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Awais Ahmed Leghari, and Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, State Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Jahanzeb Khan and relevant senior officers attended the meeting.