Non recovery of dues from Balochistan, AJK big issue for Power Division, PAC body told

ISLAMABAD: The Subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee was informed that the non- recovery of dues from Balochistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) became the major headache for the Power Division.

It was informed that due to the power shortfall in Balochistan, 50 percent of its Apple Orchards were destroyed.

The meeting of the PAC Subcommittee was held with the chair of its Convener Senator Shibli Faraz in which the Ministry of Energy and Power Division gave a briefing to the committee. The officials of the Power Division told the committee that from October 2018 to October 2019, additional revenue of Rs117 billion generated through thrice rise of tariff, Rs112 generated through efficiency improvement, Rs20 billion generated through bring control in line losses and managing the losses.

The officials told the committee that during the period of October 2018 to September 2019, around 52,000 FIR registered against power defaulters. They told the committee that Iesco has main problem of recoveries from Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Pac Member Aamir Dogar said the prime minister was also being informed in the meeting a few days back that the people were so perturbed with the rise in tariffs.

PAC member Iqbal Muhammad Ali Khan said that Asad Umer stated that the K-Electric has been privatised but, in fact the Ministry of Energy has share in it.

Convener of Subcommittee Senator Shibli Faraz remarked that it did not seem possible for the Ministry of Energy to recover dues from the federal government and provincial governments.

It was also informed to the committee that most of the banks closed their branches in Balochistan due to security situation there that caused the problems of recoveries.

PAC member Ahmed Khan questioned from the Ministry of Energy about the districts where 45,000 tube wells were being operated as there was water scarcity in Balochistan and due to shortage of power 50 per cent of Apple Orchards were destroyed.

The official of the Power Division further told the committee that around 10,000 to 15,000 new tube wells were utilizing the power but not paying the bills.

Convener of the PAC Subcommittee Senator Shibli Faraz questioned that if they were utlising power then how they could do without paying bills and why their connections were not disconnected.

The official of the Power Division told the committee that the problem of the power shortage in Balochistan could be eliminated through alternate source of energy.