ISLAMABAD: The prime minister has called to the next Cabinet Committee meeting on Energy (CCoE) Younas Dagha, recently posted as secretary Ministry of Commerce, for his input after being the secretary water and power for almost two and a half years.
“The Ministry of Water and Power under the new secretary has so far failed to overcome the incessant increase in loadshedding and failed to satisfy the premier. The new secretary is still in the process of getting briefings and does not know the magnitude of the problems of the power sector that has emerged as a black hole in the economy. And there are indications with unconfirmed reports that the sitting government may install Mr Dagha as secretary for water and power keeping in view his output he delivered in his two and a half year period,” a senior official told The News.
Joint Secretary (Power) Zargham Eshaq Khan confirmed the development saying that Dagha has been asked to participate in the CCoE meeting but he differed with the impression that the government is going to bring him back to the Ministry of Water and Power (MoWP) as secretary, arguing that the governments do not change their decisions so quickly.
However, sources in the MoWP say that the government has realised its fault of changing Mr Dagha as the existing secretary is in the process of comprehending the issues but the summer season has already set in with massive surge in mercury owing to which the country has been exposed to the huge load shedding across the country. Though the government claims that at present (April 21) there exists no unannounced load shedding. However, the reality, that always bites, paints the picture otherwise.
In south Punjab, cities are facing 14-16 hours load shedding whereas the urban areas 16-20 hours. In Central Punjab, rural areas are facing the electricity outages of 12-14 hours whereas urban areas are facing 7-8 hours load shedding. In interior Sindh, masses are experiencing 16-18 years load shedding and the same situation in many areas of KPK.
The top official of the ministry of water and power says that 2400 MW of electricity is not in the system because of many power units have gone closed on account of their annual maintenance. However, Friday experienced the shortfall close to 6000 MW as the electricity generation stands at close to 13000 MW as the demand is over 19000 MW.