The federal cabinet on Wednesday gave approval to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the import of 1,000 to 1,300 megawatts of surplus hydroelectric power from the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan.
Briefing reporters about cabinet decisions, Information Minister Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said the progress report on the implementation of the energy plan and load management with respect to supply of electricity was also presented in the cabinet.
She said the cabinet was informed that power distribution and generation companies’ boards had been reconstituted. “Vacancies of CEOs have been advertised and three candidates for each post have been shortlisted. The cabinet was also informed that financial plan to deal with the issue of circular debt would be submitted in the next meeting by a high-powered energy committee of the cabinet,” the information minister said.
She clarified that the cabinet had not approved an increase in the electricity tariff and it was the duty of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) to decide tariff-related matters.
She said the cabinet also approved in principle the signing of a supplementary loan agreement for procurement of equipment under the NTDC Development Programme.
“The prime minister took the federal cabinet into confidence over his visit to the Maldives in connection with the 17th SAARC Summit and his meeting with his Indian counterpart,” she said, adding that the cabinet members appreciated the prime minister’s role in resolving disputes between the two neighbour states for which he was also called a “man of peace” by the Indian prime minister. She said Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would also brief parliament on Pakistan’s achievements at the SAARC conference.
The minister said the cabinet also condemned the murder of three minority community members in Sindh and expressed its sympathies to the families of the victims. “The prime minister said perpetrators of the heinous crime would be brought to justice. The cabinet assured the minorities in Pakistan that the government would provide security of life and property to their communities,” Firdous said.
The information minister also said the premier had told Religious Affairs Minister Khurshid Shah and Interior Minister Rehman Malik to visit the homes of the deceased and offer condolences on behalf of the federal government.
“The Cabinet reviewed the implementation of its previous decisions pertaining to the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Production Division,” Firdous said.
She said further that the cabinet approved initiation and signing of an MoU between the Board of Investment (BOI) Pakistan and the State Committee on Investments and the State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan to enhance bilateral investment relations between the two countries.
