Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif announced in parliament on Wednesday that the current power crisis will see its end in the “next eight to ten days”, Radio Pakistan reported.
He was replying to a question raised in the National Assembly on Monday when he said that the electricity shortage that has plagued Pakistan for years, will start to subside in the next few days.
The statement comes in the backdrop of the inauguration of a 760 megawatt (MW) power plant in Bhikki, Sheikhupura, where the prime minister spoke today.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has started its protest drive against power loadshedding, while the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has threatened to take to the street over the issue from Saturday (April 22).
Khawaja Asif informed the house that certain power plants in the country had not been operational due to maintenance, adding that from May 1, there would be no unannounced loadshedding.
Asif expressed the government’s aim to add 6,400MW to the national grid by the end of the year, surpassing Pakistan’s shortfall, which, according to him, stands at 5,200 megawatts.
However, speculations are rife over the uncertain future of PML-N’s government, as the Supreme Court is scheduled to announce its decision on the Panama case by tomorrow.