President Alvi on IPPs issue: Mafias allowed to gang-rape country

ISLAMABAD: Saying that he was taken aback after reading the report on independent power companies (IPPs), President Dr Arif Alvi said it seemed the country “has not only been raped but (also) gang-raped by mafias”.

He said this while noting that report was unilateral and did not comprise input of the stakeholders. Speaking to host Hamid Mir in Geo News' programme Capital Talk, Alvi said "I have read the investigative report on power companies," referring to a probe into corruption in the power sector, which has been reportedly incurring a loss of Rs1 billion per day.

The president termed the 20-point formula agreed upon with the country's ulema to open up the mosques amid the coronavirus pandemic as a consensus of the Muslim community in Pakistan.

He said the agreement with the religious scholars was Ijma-e-Ummat [consensus of the Muslim community] and that its violation would "be categorised as a sin".

The president said it was not possible to call an online meeting of the Parliament at the moment but noted that there was no issue in calling one for everyone to attend in person "if social distancing is practised".

APP adds: He said personally he was in favour of digitization and recalled when he was Member of the National Assembly, he had proposed digitizing the Parliament in a way that all its members were enabled to have online access to all documents relating to legislation and other business.

On power companies issues, the president said that he had advised the prime minister to hire the companies of international repute for forensic audit of the report and also seek legal advice before proceeding against those involved in any corruption.

The president said as the IPPs were established as a result of the energy policies and agreements reached in 1994, 2002 and 2014, the government would have to deal the issue carefully and keeping in view the past experiences such as the Reko Diq.

He said if the forensic audit verified the inquiry report on IPPs, it would help the government proceed against the companies involved in actions beyond the agreement, besides creating an opportunity for renegotiation on terms and conditions of the agreements with them.

To a question about the inquiry report on sugar and wheat shortage, and the alleged involvement of some political figures, the president said as far as he knew Prime Minister Imran Khan he had a strong will to deal with such situations.

About the human rights situation in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK) and the ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC), President Alvi said the Indian forces were targeting innocent civilians.

He also condemned the Indian atrocities against innocent Kashmiris in the IOK, and said as the people of IOK had been isolated and locked down since August 5, 2019, the world should take notice of the situation.

About the Taraweeh prayers during the holy month of Ramazan, the president said despite the 20-point agreement reached with the Ulema he would urge the people to stay home and offer prayers there for their safety.