FAISALABAD – Uninterrupted gas and electricity supply to Faisalabad region is essential for the running of local industrial, commercial and agriculture sector which are a primary source of livelihood for millions of workers in the city, said Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) senior leader and leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Raja Riaz. He was speaking at a meeting of Faisalabad Electric Supply Company Limited (FESCO)’s Load Management Committee held at a local hotel. “I am quite aware of the consequences of load shedding and its negative impact on overall socio-economic structure of the society and I will continue to raise issue at the highest level,” he said.
“Faisalabad, as a city, owing to its textile background, is the ‘earning son’ of the family (Pakistan) that brings billions of US dollars in terms of foreign exchange, so it deserves an exceptional treatment and lesser load shedding as compared to other areas,” he remarked. “It is because our national economy direly needs the industry keep going as well as working class keep working to avoid unemployment and starvation,” he interpreted.
“Electricity crisis is a national problem that must be solved in the larger national spirit,” said FESCO Board of Directors Chairman Nadeem Aftab Sindhu while briefing on the load management plan (LMP). “LMP must be amicably scheduled in consultation with all the local stakeholders, including industrial, commercial and agriculture sectors, and all of them must be taken on board,” he opined.
Nadeem Aftab who is a senior Faisalabad PPP leader and former town nazim said that during his tenure as the town nazim, he focused on the matters of public interest and reiterated his commitment to carry on the same mission in his present capacity as the chairman of FESCO board of directors. He pledged to take everybody into confidence to reach a settlement towards the efficient management of FESCO affairs. “Faisalabad’s multi-dimensional industrial sector has a significant contribution to the national economy apart from providing job opportunities to millions of skilled and semi-skilled manpower,” he said.
“The wheels of industry and agriculture will surely determine the direction of national progress and prosperity. As the industry and agriculture are entirely dependent on electricity supply, we have to draw out a transparent, comprehensive and objective strategy to address the issue,” he said. “Keeping in view these facts, we have set up a load management committee (LMC) headed by renowned industrialist and a board of directors’ member, Rana Mushtaq Ahmed,” he said. The chairman announced that the LMC would frame a load management schedule in the region which would be acceptable to all the stakeholders.
He said that in line with other distribution companies’ load management quota, Faisalabad region has 12.6 percent that is equivalent to the distribution companies operating in other regions. “We are committed to distribution this quota indiscriminately among all the stakeholders irrespective of any fear or favour,” he announced with confidence. He claimed that all sectors had an appropriate representation in FESCO’s board of directors. “We are looking forward to utilise this experience in the best interest of FESCO. “We believe in service and practical implementation of policies that shows positive results,” said the chairman.
He announced to launch a massive energy conservation campaign and hoped they would ensure grassroots participation of the people to make it a success. He paid a glowing tribute to the leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly, Raja Riaz, for his support and guidance in the formation of load management committee to streamline the load management and hoped he would continue to coordinate with the committee to improve the system.
LMC Chairman Rana Mushtaq Ahmed said daily consumption of electricity was increasing with every passing day, but the system was unable to increase the power generation commensurate with demand. “So we have to understand the rationalisation of consumption at all levels,” he said and added he was conducting visits to personally meet the FESCO officials and major industrialists to draw out the plan without any political bias or discrimination.
Former FESCO director and ex-MPA Asghar Ali Qaiser appealed to the public to support the economy drive for the national cause. “We must use energy savers instead of tube lights and avoid using electrical equipment and extra lighting,” he said. The meeting was attended by FESCO Chief Executive Liaqat Chattha, former textile minister Rana Farooq Saeed Khan, PML-N MPA Khawaja Muhammad Islam, Khizar Hayat Ghumman and a large number of community members, journalists and PPP workers.
Fleeing dacoits’ car hits police officer: A police officer was seriously injured and admitted to Allied Hospital after he was run over by the vehicle of fleeing dacoits. Reportedly, Pull Dingroo Police Post In-charge Sub Inspector Rana Zulfiqar Ali who had set up a makeshift check post outside Chak No 2 JB to monitor suspects was run over by a car when he ordered the dacoits in it to stop for identification. The injured policeman sustained head and other multiple injuries and his ribs got fractured. He was taken to Allied Hospital where he is recovering.The residents of the village said a group of wanted criminals from neighborhood was travelling in the car that hit the police officer to avoid arrest.
