PESHAWAR: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter has expressed concern over a recent decision to transfer the control of electricity distribution companies from the federal government to the provinces.

In a statement issued here on Friday, PkMAP provincial president Dr Mohammad Ali said the caretaker government had the constitutional authority to only oversee elections and manage day-to-day governmental functions. He said it was beyond the scope of the caretakers’ mandate to make far-reaching decisions of national significance.

Dr Ali underlined the serious financial implications of transferring power distribution companies to provinces, particularly when these companies were already grappling with financial losses. He said such a move placed a financial burden on provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which lacked the fiscal resilience to absorb these losses.

The PkMAP leader said his party’s stance was unequivocal that the federal government should authorise power generation and establish a provincial grid and provincial transmission for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had the potential to generate more than 7,000 megawatts of electricity, surpassing its actual requirement of 2,500 megawatts. Additionally, he added hydroelectricity production in the province was a cost-effective option.

Dr Ali alleged there was a disparity as the federal government purchased a unit for 80 paisa and resold it to the province for Rs55 per unit, underscoring the need for rectification.

He said empowering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to generate its electricity and transferring the hydroelectric projects along with the associated Rs650 billion debt from the federal government represented a pivotal step in achieving energy self-sufficiency.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2023