With the general elections around the corner and an early advent of the winter season, the federal cabinet on Wednesday decided to end load shedding within the next month at all costs so that the coalition government could go to their voters with some concrete achievement in hand in order to seal the campaigning sale, Pakistan Today has learnt reliably.
The cabinet also approved the National Climate Change Policy framed under the guidelines of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to tackle the challenges posed by climate change.
However, the ministers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) boycotted the cabinet meeting for what they called continued delaying tactics by the ruling party over the SPLGO 2012 and the same had been conveyed to the prime minister.
A source in the cabinet said Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, once himself in the line of fire for failing to control power crisis, came down hard on Water and Power Secretary Zafar Mahmood during the meeting.
Ashraf lashed out at Mahmood for his failure to improve the load shedding situation, cutting down the circular debt and failing to effectively coordinate between the ministries of water and power and oil and gas to ensure sustained provision of furnace oil, gas and other necessities to the independent power producers (IPPs).
The source said the water and power secretary could not satisfy a number of queries put forth by the cabinet members during his briefing on load shedding and power production and recovery of bills from defaulters.
He added that the cabinet members also took to task Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh and Adviser to PM on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain for failing to provide necessary items to the IPPs leading to load shedding.
The source said Mahmood tried to respond to the arguments raised by the cabinet members but failed, attracting bitter criticism. The prime minister said he had handled the ministry previously and even he had been misled by the bureaucracy due to which the government and he himself had faced criticism.
The source said the prime minister expressed dissatisfaction with the working of the energy committee of the cabinet,
directing the committee to expedite its efforts to resolve the issue of load shedding within minimum possible time.
Ashraf also decided to summon a special meeting of the cabinet to discuss the energy crisis next week and directed for taking steps to end the load shedding forthwith. The special meeting would be briefed by ministers for finance, water and power and petroleum and natural resources.
In his opening remarks, the prime minister said in the very first meeting of the cabinet, he had highlighted that addressing the energy crisis would be top priority of his government.
He said the government was making sincere efforts to enhance the capacity of power generation plants to overcome the crisis, adding that the government was committed to achieving energy security, though it was a Herculean task. The prime minister said Pakistan was the first country to register a protest at a national level against sacrilegious movie and the government of Pakistan had condemned the movie at all forums.
President Asif Ali Zardari also expressed deep dismay and grief of the people of Pakistan over the blasphemous movie while discussing Pak-US ties in the United States.
However, the PM said he was upset to see some miscreants destroying and damaging public and private property on the day of Youm-e-Ishq-e-Rasool (PBUH).
Still, he was pleased to see the youth repairing the damage caused by unruly protesters in the country.
The cabinet considered and confirmed decisions taken by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) in its three successive meetings held on August 7, August 16 and September 4. The cabinet also approved the National Climate Change Policy framed under the guidelines of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change to tackle the challenges posed by climate change.
The main objectives of the climate policy state that it would help pursue sustained economic growth by appropriately addressing the challenges of climate change.
The policy will ensure water security, food security and energy security of the country in the face of challenges posed by climate change. It would minimize the risks arising from expected increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events: floods, droughts, tropical storms etc.
It will also strengthen inter-ministerial decision making and coordination mechanisms on climate change; and will facilitate effective use of the opportunities, particularly financial, available both nationally and internationally. The policy will foster the development of appropriate economic incentives to encourage public and private sector investment in adaptation measures. In order to promote conservation of natural resources and long-term sustainability this policy will also be effective.
The cabinet appreciated the initiative of Minister for Climate Change Rana Farooq in obtaining consensus of all stakeholders and preparing a comprehensive policy. Discussing implementation of the policy, the prime minister directed that Islamabad should be declared a model city and the policy implemented in letter and spirit.
The cabinet also considered and accorded its approval to start negotiations on memorandum of understanding (MoU) on disaster management between Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kazakhstan and National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Climate Change of Pakistan. The cabinet also approved initiation of negotiations for Trilateral Transit Trade Agreement among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan and signing of revised draft between Pakistan and the government of the Russian Federation for Mutual Defense Cooperation.
The cabinet also accorded approval for ratification of Inter-Governmental Agreement signed between Pakistan and government of Italian Republic for Euro 57.75 million support for Citizens Damage Compensation Program and initiate negotiations on MoU between Pakistan and Qatar in the fields of health and medical sciences.
The cabinet approved ratification of the charter of Economic Cooperation Organization Educational Institute (ECOEI). The cabinet accorded approval to start negotiations with the Russian Federation for conclusion of agreement on mutual cooperation between the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Law and Justice of Pakistan.
It also accorded approval to start negotiations and signing of MoU between Tunisian Institute of Agricultural Research and Higher Education (IRESA) and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. The MoU aims to enhance scientific and technical cooperation in agriculture sector. The cabinet also considered and accorded its approval to sign agreement on promotion and protection of investment with Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) member states.
No power cuts from October, decides govt
