Shahbaz playing political game over electricity crisis: Shujaat

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain on Thursday said his party had presented an immediate and feasible solution to the problem of electricity load shedding, but it was rejected by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif only because he did not want the PML-Q to get credit and so that Shahbaz could continue with his political game.
He said the responsibility of the electricity crisis in Punjab lay with Shahbaz, who did not let other chief ministers to endorse and implement the formula for ending electricity load shedding. Shujaat said this formula was presented after consultation with leading economic and technical experts. He said had the formula sincerely implemented, electricity load shedding would have completely ended in cities within three to four months and its duration would have reduced to two hours in villages. He said without taking into consideration the heavy losses the country was facing, the formula was rejected because it was presented the PML-Q.
Shujat said under the 7th NFC Award, the federation had given provinces 12 percent more than their share which amounted to Rs 50 billion per month. He said the provinces had received this additional amount for seven months, adding that if they do not receive this additional amount for three months, Rs 150 billion could be paid to the IPPs that could help increase power generation to 15,000 to 16,000 megawatts.
He said it was unfortunate that this amount was not given as loan to the federal government merely on the excuse that it was required for undertaking development works.
Shujat asked the people to put pressure on their respective chief ministers for approving the formula for a practical solution, as it was the most immediate and effective solution for overcoming the crisis.