GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan caretaker cabinet on Monday rejected a proposal to allocate Rs22 million for thermal power generation to provide electricity during the month of Ramazan.

The decision was taken during a caretaker cabinet meeting chaired by Gilgit-Baltistan Caretaker Chief Minister retired Justice Yar Muham­mad, held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Gilgit. The meeting discussed a 22-point agenda.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Information Minister Ghulam Abbas, accompanied by Home Minister Sajid Ali Baig and others announced the cabinet’s decisions.

Mr Abbas said the proposal aimed to allocate Rs22m for operating thermal power generation during Ram­azan. However, it was observed that the proposed expenditure would add only about 40 minutes of electricity in a 24-hour period.

“The cabinet noted that spending Rs22m to generate merely 40 minutes of additional electricity was not justified and would amount to a waste of public funds,” he said, adding that the proposal was therefore rejected.

He said it had been a long-standing practice to operate diesel generators in Gilgit-Baltistan during Ramazan. However, after reviewing their output, the cabinet concluded that the minimal electricity gained did not justify the heavy financial burden on the national exchequer.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2026