The Sindh government has categorically refused assent to the new energy policy of the federal government until and unless the issues of oil and gas pertaining to Sindh are resolved.
This decision was taken in a high-level meeting held with Sindh chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah in the chair. The meeting was attended by provincial Minister for Finance and Energy Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Siddiq Memon, Secretary Energy Agha Wasif Ali and others.
Murad Ali Shah briefed the chief minister and said that the federal government had not yet addressed the reservations expressed by Sindh government on the issues of oil and gas. He further informed the chief minister that the ministry of petroleum had convened a meeting on April 7 in Islamabad to discuss the issues of oil and gas which were raised by the Sindh government during the IPC meeting. “The meeting should have been convened by the IPCC Division which is competent to discuss such decisions,” the minister said.
The chief Minister taking policy decision said that the Sindh government would not assent to the new energy policy envisaged by the federal government. “We want that issues pertaining to oil and gas must be addressed first before we convey provincial assent for the power generation policy 2015,” he decided.