Addressing party workers at his tent office on Thursday, Punjab’s Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the ‘Zardari Gang’ has let loose a despicable rule, rife with bribery, nepotism and corruption, while unleashing the worst bout of load-shedding from Karachi to Peshawar during the month of Ramzan; this is blatant proof of the federal government’s incompetence.
He expressed these views, while talking to residents, Pakistan Muslim League (N) workers and office-bearers from Raiwind City and adjoining areas, at his tent office. Provincial Ministers Ch. Abdul Ghafoor, Mian Margoob Ahmad, Hafiz Nauman, Kh. Imran Nazir, Ch. Shahbaz, Commissioner Lahore Division, secretaries of various departments, District Coordination Officer Lahore, Director General PHA and other concerned authorities were also present at the occasion.
He said that Zardari’s ‘gang’ is deliberately erecting impediments in the progress and prosperity of Punjab. The industry, commerce and agriculture of Punjab is being systematically destroyed, while the profits of electricity distribution companies of Punjab are being handed over to electric companies going into a loss.
He said that the federal government is meting out a step-motherly attitude towards Punjab with respect to load-shedding, because the conscience of rulers in Islamabad had become impaired.
He said it was a fact that billions of rupees had been wasted on rental power projects, and not a single megawatt of electricity had been added to the system. He said that ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ have turned people into psychological patients.
He said that as a result of bribery, nepotism, corruption, electricity theft and line losses, circular debt has risen to Rs 500 billion in the energy sector, and if this debt is paid off, more than five thousand megawatts of electricity could be added to the system, decreasing power outages to a great extent; but this would not happen because the direction and intent of the federal government is insincere.
He said that through concentrated efforts, the country can be brought out of darkness and into an era of light however, it is not possible as long as ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’ are in power because they are completely indifferent to the plight of the masses. He asserted that Punjab had paid off its outstanding amount to PEPCO, and the recovery rate of electricity distributing companies in Punjab is far better than the rest of the provinces.
He emphasised that the ‘Zardari Gang’ is responsible for cruelty and highhandedness in regard to load-shedding. He vowed that his protest against unjustified and inequitable load-shedding will continue, Pakistan is full of resources, and has the capacity to acquire energy, not only from existing sources, but alternative sources as well. The government of Punjab is expeditiously executing a comprehensive programme in this regard, he added.
