ISLAMABAD Sept 30: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the Planning Commission to prepare a long-term energy plan by Dec 15.
The prime minister issued the instructions in the wake of the sudden fall in the hydroelectric generation capacity because of water shortage in dams, necessitating a country-wide load-shedding.
Prime Minister Aziz urged the commission to suggest a plan for the development of electricity, gas and alternate energy resources keeping in view the future trends. The long-term energy plan, he said, would help the government to prepare future infrastructural and industrial development plan.
While reviewing the goals of planning commission, the premier said that the commission should strengthen individual discipline in social and economic sectors, focusing on accelerating the implementation of projects.
The prime minister also reviewed goals of ministry of industries and production and directed it to serve as a catalyst in attracting domestic and foreign investment and export-oriented investment.
The ministry, he said, should set up more industrial and export processing zones besides focusing on skill development to enhance competitiveness and productivity. During the review of the goals of ministry of law and justice the premier Aziz instructed the ministry to propose appropriate legislation to provide speedy justice, facilitate better access to justice, and reduce the number of pending cases and quick disposal of cases by courts.
In the meanwhile, a public affairs wing has been set up in the Prime Minister's Secretariat, initiating contacts with parliamentarians in the four provinces. The wing is meant to keep active interface with members of parliament for soliciting proposals concerning development schemes. Abdul Rauf, additional secretary, has been made in-charge of the wing.
Joint secretary Naseer Ahmed and deputy secretaries Shahrukh Nusrat and Malik Qaiser Majeed have been assigned affairs of parliamentarians from Punjab, J.S. Syed Arshad Ali and D.S. Ilyas Khan will look after parliamentarians from Sindh while J.S. Fida Ali and D.S. Abdul Ali would liaise with parliamentarians from NWFP and D.S. Sheikh Ziaul Haq will cater to the issues of public concern and development proposals presented by parliamentarians from Balochistan.
