Energy crisis causing irreparable loss to national economy: CM


LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif said that energy crisis was causing irreparable loss to the national economy and all sectors, including agriculture, were being badly affected.

There was a need for serious thinking in order to overcome shortage of electricity, he said, adding that Punjab was facing the worst-ever crisis of energy and a step-motherly treatment was being meted out to the province with regards to load shedding, which should be stopped immediately.

He was presiding over a meeting held to discuss arrangements for an energy conference, which was attended by MNA Pervaiz Malik, Punjab Investment Board Vice Chairman Dr Muftah Ismail, Planning and Development chairman, provincial secretaries of various departments and energy experts.

The meeting reviewed in detail energy problems being faced by the province and there was a consensus of opinion that Punjab was being subjected to more than its share of load shedding, and industries had closed down in large numbers due to unscheduled power outages.

Labourers had been rendered jobless and the export sector had been badly affected, the CM said, adding that there was a need to make arrangements on emergent basis for coping with energy crisis. He hoped that the holding of energy conference in the metropolis would help the federating units to make a comprehensive plan to overcome the crisis. He said that the Punjab government was working on various projects of power generation from bagasse, hydel, coal and other resources and the Energy Department was actively working to complete these projects speedily. Meanwhile, the participants submitted various proposals for the energy conference and overcoming shortage of energy in the province.