The Punjab Forum on Sunday said load shedding has intensified in Punjab after the second Energy Conference which is taking toll on masses, industry, trade and agriculture.
The claims of president during his recent stay in Lahore had once again proved to be contradictory leaving the high profile event meaningless, it said.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also seemed uneasy over hosting a useless energy conference which only drained resources, said Baig Raj, president of the Punjab Forum. He said the energy meet was a move to stop long march and the rulers had started pushing for a Seraiki province to divert attention of masses from their failures.
After American opposition to the energy import plans from Iran, some friendly countries had also started pressing Pakistan to abandon all such plans, said Baig Raj. He informed that Tarbela was at dead level pushing power shortfall to 4000MW as power generation through hydel, thermal and IPPs stood at 10,219MW which was hurting Punjab the most. The current government lacked resources and would have to bridge the demand-supply gap therefore immediate import of energy should be ensured from India, he said.
Raj said Indian team was in Islamabad to finalise an energy deal but commission mafia was hampering the development. India was ready to provide power for Rs 13 per unit but some political elements were asking them to jack up price to Rs 15/unit so that they could make good money by bagging Rs 2 per unit. He said India had discovered gas reserves which were going waste due to lack of pipeline infrastructure in that country. New Delhi wanted to provide gas to Pakistan on throwaway prices but the same mafia had become a stumbling block in making the move a reality, he lamented.
Similarly, the plan to dishearten investors to launch power projects in Punjab continues while sugar mills that can generate 2000MW to reduce half of the shortfall were being discouraged which was a great disservice to country, he observed. Pakistan needs 215 million dollars to overhaul public sector thermal power plants to generate extra 2000MW while extension of Guddu power plant can add 747 MW but no step in this direction was likely. Likewise, wind power projects will continue to take a back seat whose tariff will decrease by the passage of time instead of increasing as per the agreements.
Pakistan had two options, accept Indian dominance and transform country into a consumer society or import energy from India to give new lease of life to the crumbling economy, he said.
These meetings will achieve nothing.
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