LAHORE:Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Engr. Khurram Dastgir Khan said on Friday that in the future, the power plants would not be operated on imported fuels for energy generation.
Addressing a press conference here at NTDC (National Transmission and Dispatch Company) Headquarters, he said that furnace oil would not be imported for energy generation this year, as the country had plenty of oil in local refineries and that fuel would be used for power generation. “It will not only save precious foreign exchange reserves with substantial cut in oil import bill but also help provide inexpensive energy to the consumers of all categories,” he remarked.
Federal Minister said that this summer, the power supply would relatively be better across the country than the previous year.
Khurram Dastgir said that Thar-Matiari transmission line had been completed at a cost of Rs 15 billion within two and a half months and this line was important as it would connect Pakistan’s Thar coal power to the rest of the country. He mentioned that 220 kilometres long line had been laid but the total length of the transmission was 800 kilometres, terming it a great success that would definitely help improve the power transmission system. He also thanked the Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who helped a lot for this project of national importance.
Federal Minister said that another mega project of transmission line from Iran to Kolan had also been completed, and these two projects were the hallmark of the present coalition government.
He said that previous PTI government had obstructed such developmental projects throughout its four-year tenure, asserting that present government was making all out effort to revive and restart work on all those projects which were stopped half way.
Khurram Dastgir Khan said that foundation stone of the main transmission line to evacuate electricity from Dasu, and Bhasha Dams had also been laid. “We have re-initiated the process of development in Pakistan, and we are especially focusing power projects as Pakistan is in dire need of energy. This year alone, we have injected 3,000 MW more electricity into the system including 2,000 MW from Thar Coal Power Plant,” he maintained.
The previous hostile government did nothing in energy sector and spoiled the four years of national development and people’s prosperity.
Later responding to reporters’ queries, he said that first time, all the political parties formed a coalition government and these parties had secured 68 percent votes in the general election 2018, while the PTI had secured 32 percent votes, in this way, the present coalition government was the real representative government of the people.
To another question, Khurram Dastgir said that there were too many other things in the Constitution which must be considered along with 90-day provision of conducting election, citing that for general election, all the federating units must be on the same page. Parliament is supreme and custodian of the Constitution of Pakistan, therefore the apex court must consider the standing of the parliament. In the given circumstances, all the political parties of the coalition government wanted the holding of general election simultaneously across the country, he added. He also dispelled the impression that apex court and the government were at daggers drawn, asserting “We all will stay with the Constitution.”
To another question, he said that despite not entering into IMF programme, the present government managed to bring the country’s foreign exchange reserves over US $ 10 billion. “We are trying to figure out how to survive if we don’t go for the IMF programme,” he said.
Regarding NTDC Board of Directors, he said that there were some legal itches in changing the BoD of the previous government however the present government was sorting out the matter for smooth functioning of the company’s affairs.
About recent power blackouts in the country, the minister said that effective measures were being worked out and a stable source would be installed in the middle of the country to control the power supply to avoid such breakdowns in future.
To a query, he said that of course, there was adequate quantum of expensive electricity in the country but it was not affordable for the consumers, and in order to lower the electricity bills charges, there would be a plan of load management.