Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power, Khurram Dastgir Khan said that the power sector couldn’t be put on the right track without the political will, support of the Parliament and strict disciplinary action against the corrupt mafia within power distribution companies.
Answering the question of Samina Mumtaz Zehri, during question hour in the Senate here Thursday, the minister highlighted that the new government would face a significant challenge in reviving the power sector, emphasizing that it could only be achieved through political will and support from the Parliament, as reliance solely on political backing would not suffice. The minister pointed out that weak recovery of electricity bills was prevalent in areas where the state’s authority was not effectively established, raising concerns about the overall governance. Additionally, he highlighted that the significant line losses were putting a substantial burden on the country’s economy.
In response to Kauda Babar’s question, the minister confirmed the successful installation of transmission lines connecting Bolan to Jewani, facilitating the connection between Iran and Gawadar.
Additionally, the Bisma-Khuzdar transmission lines have been fully completed, he told.
Concerning the measures taken against corrupt individuals, the minister announced that 124 officials from Multan Electric Company (MEFCO) and 118 officials from Lahore Electric Company (LESCO) were facing punitive action for various charges related to their involvement in power theft and other misconduct.
