Sindh reluctant to pay Rs 70 billion electricity charges to federal govt: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD - Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Monday informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water and Power that the Sindh government had shown reluctance in handing over Rs 70 billion to the Center to cover its electricity charges.

The provincial government, he said, was not even paying the sum which had been reconciled for the final three years. The matter has been pending since 2010, he added.

The committee, which was chaired by Muhammad Arshad Khan Laghari, reviewed the implementation of the recommendations and confirmed the minutes of the meeting held on April 28, besides briefing members on all types of energy development schemes/projects underway in the country.

The minister said the Karachi Water Board alone had defaulted Rs 36 billion. The occupants of the mega city would bear the brunt if the power supply to the Water Board was suspended on account of not clearing their dues, he added.

He pressed the committee members belonging to Sindh to help the federal government to recoup the outstanding dues from the provincial government.