ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Monday that the Punjab government was instigating the people against the federation and that the rulers of the province were personally responsible for the loss of life and damage to public and Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) leaders’ and workers' properties.

He was talking to media representatives at the Faisal Mosque after attending funeral prayers in absentia for Saudi Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who died on Saturday.

Replying to a question, he said no doubt that power outages during past couple of days had increased, but that was no justification for attacking public property and the properties of PPP leaders.

“Loadshedding is being done in all four provinces, but violent protest demonstrations are being held only in Punjab. The police has become a silent spectator and the provincial rulers and administration are not only part of the protest but they are instigating the people,” he said.

Kaira said that the PPP through the 18th Amendment had tried to end the sense of deprivation among the smaller provinces but the rulers in Punjab were fanning hatred to get petty political gains.

He said there was 800 mega watt low head hydro power potential in Punjab but not a single mega watt had been produced so far.

The minister said that 200 mega watt electricity would be added to the system from wind sector and 600 mega watt would be added from the same sector next year.

He said that some Independent Power Plants (IPPs) were commissioned only on gas and their closure due to shortage of gas had added to the loadshedding problem.

He said that the incumbent government was paying the price for the decisions of its predecessors who could not prepare proper energy policy and diverted gas towards the CNG sector.