Even after the much hyped National Energy Conference, which was held in Lahore in May 2012, the electricity loadshedding not only is continuing unabated but, every now and then, has worsened thus adding to the miseries and problems of the people in an unending manner. This worsening of the situation is because the moot, at which the prime minister and the chief ministers of the four provinces among others were present , did not come up with some concrete solution to this lingering menace of electricity load shedding.
According to the reports appearing in the media from time to time, what still remains very painful for the people at large is that the moot did not bother to even consider for some time the formula which was presented by PML(Q) President Ch Shujat Hussain earlier this month with the claim that its implementation would end the electricity loadshedding provided the provinces decide to make some financial contributions out of their share of the resources under the NFC Award to pay off the IPPs. Under the formula, the provinces were required only to part with their share in the NFC Award for three months as a loan to the federal government for sometime so that Rs 150 billion could be paid to the IPPs to partly clear their circular debt.
The prime minister had endorsed the formula when he had visited the Chaudhry Brothers at their residence in Gulberg, Lahore some days back. But that was all. There was no follow up though the prime minister could ask the provincial governments of Sindh, KPK and Balochistan to make their contributions as PPP parliamentarians and allies are in power in these federating units whereas PML (N) is ruling Punjab province.
As per formula, Punjab was to contribute Rs 25 billion , Sindh Rs 12.5 billion, KPK Rs 7.5 billion and Balochistan Rs 5.0 billion per month for three months.
The formula is still there very much and echoing in the media. Neither the continuing loadshedding nor the federal government inefficiency in this regard could be defended. But the provinces role in summarily rejecting the formula also leaves much to be desired.
ASMAAR BILAL SHAIKH
Lahore
