April 21, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-us-Sani 03, 1428

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window).

ISLAMABAD, April 20: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) information secretary Ahsan Iqbal on Friday lashed out at the government for its failure to launch any power generation project during the last eight years and warned that the country could face the worst power crisis in next few weeks.

Speaking at a news conference on the launch of his report highlighting alleged corruption committed by the Musharraf regime, Mr Iqbal claimed that it was the most corrupt one in the country’s history.

He said the government’s failure to initiate any power generation project had proved incapability of the rulers.

The people have started facing load-shedding just at the beginning of summer and it is feared that there could be 10 to 12 hours long power cuts during the peak season, he added.

He said on one hand generators were operational in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) schemes, while on the other the poor and common people were suffering due to the incapable rulers.

Mr Iqbal said the power crisis had started hitting the country’s economy as industrialists had to cancel their export orders because they were unable to meet the deadlines. He said the nation was justified in asking about the utility of the huge amount the rulers received from world powers after the 9/11 incident.

Mr Iqbal highlighted salient features of his 91-page report which contained several alleged mega-corruption scams of the regime, including privatisation of Pakistan Steel Mills, Pakistan Telecommunication Company and Habib Bank; stock exchange crash; cement, sugar and oil prices scandals.

Speaking about the prevailing judicial crisis, he said, it was not an issue related to the chief justice but it had become a national crisis.

Responding to the reports that the deputy attorney general had complained to the Supreme Court that the interior ministry was not cooperating with him in connection with the missing persons cases, he said it seemed that the government had revolted against the judiciary.

He paid rich tributes to the judges of Sindh who attended a function which was addressed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. He said the present judicial crisis could also be harmful for the federation of Pakistan.

Mr Iqbal said the only solution to all the crises being faced by the country was removal of Gen Pervez Musharraf from power.

Commenting on reports of deal between the People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) and the regime, he said, who ever would strike a deal with Gen Musharraf would be committing political suicide.