Electricity system upgraded: Omar Ayub

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Thursday said the government had upgraded the power network as it has been made a target to produce 100,000MW electricity by 2040.

He said he was ready for a debate on increase in prices of petroleum products but the matter should not be taken up through an adjournment motion now, as the issue was being heard bythe Lahore High Court (LHC).

Speaking in the National Assembly while opposing an adjournment motion moved by legislator Naveed Qamar on increase in petroleum prices, he said petroleum development levy was included in the finance bill approved by the National Assembly and its rate had remained flat at a level.

Naveed Qamar said rules of the House allow discussion on the matter such as prices of petroleum products, so members should debate the issue which concerned every Pakistani citizen. As the opposition members did not press the matter, further debate could not be held on the motion.

Naveed Qamar said that this was the first adjournment motion taken up in two years of proceedings of the National Assembly. He said he had also moved an adjournment motion on the locust swarms arriving from the horn of Africa as these posed grave danger to the agriculture of Pakistan.

The government also silenced demands from the ruling party for construction of major water reservoirs like Kalabagh Dam on floor of the National Assembly. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan disassociated the government from call of a PTI parliamentarian Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel to initiate work on Kalabagh Dam. “Our member talked about Kalabagh Dam but it can be his personal opinion,” Ali Muhammad Khan while satisfying voices opposing the controversial project said.

Ali Muhammad Khan maintained that the government would not work on Kalabagh Dam unless all the four provinces create consensus on the same. He told the House that Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to take along all the provinces in development of water reservoirs.

Earlier, the PTI member from Bhakkar Sanaullah Khan Mastikhel while taking part in discussion on agriculture, termed construction of Kalabagh Dam need of the hour, saying that leadership of all the political parties should sit together to find a wayout.

He observed if the PML-N and PPP could sign Charter of Democracy (CoD) while learning from mistakes of the past then why consensus could not be reached on issue of Kalabagh Dam.

The PPP parliamentarians from Sindh took strong exception to raising controversial issue of Kalabagh Dam, saying it was matter of life and death for them.

Rafique Ahmad Jamali regretted that some members were raising controversial issues in the House. He said that Kalabagh Dam was now a dead and no efforts should be made to make it alive.

Mahesh Kumar Malani of the PPP strongly opposed Kalabagh Dam, saying that it was matter of life and death for them.

Moeen Wattoo said that agriculture sector needed special attention because it was the only sector which remained functional since start of COVID-19 pandemic.

The PML-N parliamentarians while coming harsh on Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan said it were not degrees of pilots, but statement of the minister which was fake. He demanded constitution of a committee of the House which should probe into statement of the minister regarding pilots.

The PTI member from Karachi Alamgir Khan said he would disconnect electricity connection of residence of Managing Director of K-Electric. “I am searching for residence of MD K-Electric to disconnect his electricity supply,” he said. Alamgir Khan also asked the government to look into agreements signed with K-Electric in the past.