Kh Asif blames power theft for widespread loadshedding

Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif Monday power outages of 10-12 hours will continue in areas where recovery is not up till 90 percent.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad,  Khawaja Asif said they were making efforts to provide power supply to people of the country. “We have de-electrified by taking off transformers from areas where people steal electricity and do not pay the bills,” the minister said. “This move has created social pressure, making many install meters in their houses and reducing power theft.”

While talking about the rise in the demand of electricity, he said it was never in April as high as it is this year.

The demand for electricity in the country is 17,140 megawatt, which is an increase of 2,000MW from the units required during the same time last year, he told the media.

The high demand has come from rise in the mercury level throughout the country, he said.

There is an increase of eight degrees in Islamabad, while the temperature is five degrees higher in Multan than what it was in the April of 2016, he added.