KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has criticised ‘abysmal’ performance of the ministry of power as disclosed by an annual Nepra report and asked the state minister for power, who have been accusing people of different provinces of being power ‘thieves’, what would he say now.

“After the scandalous Nandipur and Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park projects, both of which have become liabilities for the government, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s annual report has laid bare inefficiency, mismanagement and corrupt practices of incumbents and exposed the government’s complete failure in addressing people’s problems,” he said in a press statement issued on Sunday.

The Nepra report stated the ministry had failed to check underutilisation of power generation companies (Gencos) and corrupt practices of distribution companies (Discos) which had been covering up their mismanagement by robbing consumers through overbilling since 70 per cent of the inspected meters were found faulty, he said.

He praised PPP lawmakers for submitting adjournment motion in the house and said: “For three years we have heard the state minister accusing people of different provinces of being ‘thieves’. Will the minister now please answer who the real thieves are?”

The way the ministry of power was now seeking explanations from Nepra instead of putting its house in order was ironical as it was the ministry itself which was to clarify its position before nation, he said.

“Will the ministry explain why, despite massive drop in oil prices, electricity is still unaffordable for common consumers? Will it also explain why the power companies are hiding their inefficiency and line losses by overcharging consumers through faulty metering? Will it inform nation why Gencos are working under capacity and why the government is forcing shutdowns of power companies, including Nandipur,” he asked.

Bilawal demanded the ministry of power should compensate consumers who had been overbilled over the years and honestly inform the nation about the actual reasons behind power sector’s failure.

Published in Dawn, October 5th , 2015

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