Shehbaz slams PTI govt’s incompetence in energy, gas sectors

LAHORE: PMLN President and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif lashed out at the government's incompetence over the shortage of electricity and gas in the country.

In a statement here on Friday, he said the PTI government's incompetence and corruption in the LNG sector was the real cause behind the ongoing load-shedding, adding that under Nawaz’s leadership, a complete system of uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas was introduced for domestic and industrial sectors.

He said that at the height of the Corona epidemic last year, the government was offered gas at a price of less than four MMBTU but it refused to buy it at this low price and then in winter the same gas was bought at double price.

The PML-N chief said: “In winter the government lied to the nation that short-term agreements were not available. This government’s claim was illogical as the country had to pay 20% more on crude oil and gas.”

Shehbaz claimed that during the PML-N era, about 80% cheaper than PTI gas purchase agreements were made. He said when we were in power, the country was losing billions of rupees due to energy shortage. “We worked day and night to save the nation from energy shortages and eliminated the losses,” he said, adding that instead of buying cheap LNG, the present government had run power plants on expensive furnace oil and three times more expensive diesel and as the result, revolving credit increased rapidly. The PTI government has repeatedly lied that the PML-N's decision on long-term agreements was wrong, Shehbaz said and maintained that the PTI government was making false claims of gas shortage for six weeks of winter.

“It is summer now but the gas shortage is going on in the country. Now the government is learning the lesson that long-term agreements are needed.” Who is responsible for the loss that was made earlier?” Shehbaz questioned.

“We had prepared five investors to install more LNG terminals,” the opposition leader claimed adding these investors included ExxonMobil, the world's largest energy company.

Corruption in the PTI government forced the company to return its investment, he alleged. He said that despite being in government for three years, PTI has failed to set up a new terminal. We had an agreement with Russia to lay the North-South Pipeline, which was currently in limbo, he revealed.

Even today, 14 cargoes can be ordered from this pipeline in a month, he said adding, ignoring the needs of the country, the present government was ordering 10 to 12 cargoes every month. He said load-shedding was going on all over Pakistan but Karachi in particular was deprived of gas.

He asked how exporters would meet their targets when the plants are being shut down. How will the economy work? He said the lust, incompetence and corruption of the PTI government in the energy sector could be termed as shameful. Earlier, Shehbaz strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Sangin, Balochistan, saying that he was deeply saddened over the martyrdom of five FC soldiers in Sangin.

Shehbaz Sharif said that the increase in unrest in Balochistan was disturbing and law and order situation needed immediate attention. He prayed to Allah Almighty to elevate the ranks of the martyrs.