August 28, 2008	Thursday	Sha'aban 25, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 27: prolonged power disruption because of heavy loadshedding in Karachi and rural areas dominated Senate proceedings on Wednesday and members belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement staged a walkout in protest against the government’s inability to resolve the power crisis.

Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf assured the house that the problem of electricity shortage in Karachi, caused by many genuine causes, would be solved in three or four days.

MQM’s Tahir Hussain Mashadi said the KESC had miserably failed to provide regular power supply to consumers but it was demanding a further hike in tariff.

He said the power outages had forced closure of industries in the city, severely affecting employment.

Dr Safdar Abbasi of the Pakistan People’s Party said it was time for the government to take immediate steps to come up to the expectations of the people, particularly of Karachi whose role as the hub of business and industry was falling apart because of the power shortage.

Referring to a statement of KESC’s managing director that the crisis would persist for another three years, he said: “It appears as if there is no government in the country.”

Seemin Siddiqui of the Pakistan Muslim League-Q referred to a news report and said the KESC was conspiring to put additional burden on consumers and the government was protecting the company instead of the people.

Amin Dadabhoy urged the government to rescind the privatisation deal with the new KESC management and constitute a body to provide relief to the people.

Iqbal Zafar Jhagra of the PML-N pointed out that people in the NWFP had started taking to the streets in protest against loadshedding and they had blocked the G.T. Road for over two hours on Wednesday.

Wali Mohammad Badini of the PML-Q said the people of Balochistan, especially of rural areas, were suffering more than those in other provinces.

He asked the government when would the electricity purchase deal with Iran mature and 1,100 megawatts from the neighbouring country added to the national grid to ease the crisis.

Earlier, Leader of the House Mian Raza Rabbani said the government had plans to amend the Local Government Act to make it more efficient and acceptable for the people.

Responding to a point of order of Leader of the Opposition Kamil Ali Agha, Mr Rabbani expressed doubts over reports that the Sindh government had issued a notification to revive the commissioner’s post as had been done by the Punjab government.

Parigul Agha of the PML-Q demanded immediate reinstatement of all the judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, instead of piecemeal action which, she said, was creating uncertainty and confusion.