PTI-led govt responsible for energy crisis: Shahid Khaqan

KARACHI: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s central leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Monday held the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government responsible for the looming energy crisis in the country and delays in drydocking of liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships.

Addressing a press conference along with former finance minister Miftah Ismail, Abbasi said the PML-N government, during its tenure between 2013 to 2018, had produced unprecedented power in the country. “With so many power plants installed, there was almost no loadshedding during the PML-N government,” he said.

With the advent of LNG, all the plants in the country that were closed started running, he said. He claimed that four coal plants of 4,000 MW were installed in the country. “But unfortunately, in around four years of its rule, the PTI government has not started a single power plant.”

He also questioned the government's choice of opting for expensive fuels, such as furnace oil and diesel, for electricity production. “There is no reason for using furnace oil for electricity production but this government is inefficient and dishonest,” he said. “The biggest issue today is whether electricity is more expensive or not.”

“It is unfortunate that after every six months, the cabinet wakes up and a new finance minister comes,” he said. He claimed that a minister owns a plant that runs on LNG. Abbasi said that China has invested in Pakistan during the PML-N government but today no one was ready to invest in the country.

Abbasi also said that residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have rejected the ruling PTI in the local government polls held on Sunday. “The humiliating defeat in the local government polls shows that people reject the current governments’ policies,” he said.

Abbasi said that the purpose of his Karachi visit was to offer condolences to the families of those killed in the tragic incident of Shershah. Meanwhile, the PML-N delegation, led by Abbasi, visited the residence of PTI MNA Alamgir Khan whose father died in the Shershah tragedy to offer condolences. Ismail, the party’s central leader Musadik Malik and Khwaja Tariq Nazeer also accompanied him. They also visited the residences of two other victims killed in the Shershah tragedy.