KARACHI: Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh on Thursday said that the K-Electric’s (KE) monopoly would end in 2023 while the provincial government was making all-out efforts to provide relief to people during the sweltering weather.

Addressing a press conference here, he said: “Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had summoned the chief executive officer of the KE and discussed the ways to end the load-shedding in the city.”

According to Mr Shaikh, it is said that electricity is made from furnace oil, which is expensive, so the KE is not generating sufficient power. “If anyone has evidence that the KE does not use furnace oil, then provide proof and we will take action,” he added.

The energy minister said the issue of early closure of markets was not permanent, but temporary and traders would decide on it in consultation with the community. “The present government is trying to resolve the issue through mutual strategy,” he added.

The minister said the previous government was responsible for the energy crisis in the country, adding: “Now the incompetent former ministers are criticising load-shedding which is a gift of their own government,” he added.

He said plans to make gas, diesel, and fertilizer from coal would be taken forward under the CPEC. He said the previous government had terminated the agreements on CNG and LNG, adding that 175 million tons of coal was lying in Sindh. Referring to his talks with the federal minister for energy, he hoped that work on all the projects would be started on an emergency basis.

He said that under the previous government, wind and solar power projects were rejected and those projects were being taken up with the federation again.

Published in Dawn,June 10th, 2022