ISLAMABAD – Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has announced that the federal government has decided to conduct an audit of power plants established during the stint of the previous government led by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday, the minister claimed that the PML-N government signed agreements to produce electricity at extremely high costs adding that the incumbent regime had already started the audit of two power plants.
The minister alleged that the Quaid-e-Azam solar plant was the most expensive power plant in the world adding that the price of electricity was increased by Rs1.32 owing to different power plants.
‘The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has initiated inquiry against LNG plants set-up in Punjab,’ revealed the minister.
The lawmaker expressed that during its last two years, the PML-N government increased the power tariff to Rs15.53 per unit.
The electricity which was generated at that cost is being sold to the people for Rs11.71 per unit, said the minister.
Fawad Chaudhry continued that PML-N carried out ‘criminal acts’ citing that the regime took decisions and huge loans without any economic plans.
It is not fair to blame the current government for PML-N’s failed policies, observed the legislator.
The politician vowed that there will be no compromises on the process of accountability saying, it is not the government’s but the decision made by public to hold the corrupt accountable.
‘Some friends suggest that we should not go against opposition parties, when everything has to run like this then what is the need for PTI to be in power,’ Chaudhry wondered.
He further said that the government is taking steps against money laundering and to increase investment in the country.
Chauhdry clarified that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) calculates the power tariff and the body was established by the previous governments not the sitting one.
‘NEPRA informed us that we should increase the prices of electricity or incur a loss on a daily basis,’ he added while stating that the demand for electricity stands at 14,000MW today.
The information minister also clarified that no decision regarding a hike in power tariffs was taken during the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting and a decision will be taken during the next ECC meeting.
Chauhdry also stated that the premier Imran Khan will take the nation into confidence regarding all matters soon.
Pakistan’s future is bright and there will be good news soon, he affirmed.
Commenting on the by-polls that were held on October 14, the information minister stated that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) set a new example as no minister visited any constituency.
