Power sector losses

Published November 7, 2012

THIS is apropos of the news about power sector losses. It is indeed unfortunate and mind-boggling that the losses have increased to 45 per cent. With such inefficient management, we can be sure that this menace of loadshedding will not leave us even in distant future.

When all other countries are making economic progress by leaps and bounds, Pakistan is pushing itself into dark ages, quite literally.

Even after pouring a staggering Rs1.5 trillion in the power sector over the last four years, the power woes kept climbing. Raja Pervez Ashraf, who was the minister for water and power, and is now the prime minister, despite tall claims, shies away from the media to answer questions regarding the deteriorating condition of power generation.

Government departments, including provincial governments and the military, are the biggest defaulters.

With the ever-rising price of furnace oil, no one should expect that cheap electricity be available to the people with all the non-payments, transmission and distribution losses and, last but not least, power theft.

A sincere effort must be made to get rid of the evils. Failure to do so will result in Pakistan having the dubious distinction of being the only country surviving in dark ages.

JAFFAR NAQVI Lahore

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