Islamabad-Senate Standing Committee on Power Chairman Saifullah Abro has said that the power sector of the country has completely destroyed besides a choked transmission system. 

While presiding over the meeting of the committee, he remarked that K-Electric (KE) is a black spot on the face of the entire power system. The chairman said that there are big corrupt officers in the power sector. “Power Division is also accomplice in KE’s corruption,” he alleged. The government is unable to take any action against them, he added. “There is a dire need to bring NAB like law in the power sector too,” he remarked.

“Why don’t the high level officials of KE come to the meeting?” the chairman questioned. The committee was irked by the non-participation of CEO K-Electric. The chairman said that the time of the KE has passed and the company has failed to reach to the electricity purchase agreement from the national grid. “Is K-Electric not under government control?” Saifullah Abro asked. He said that the power minister should come to the committee and give a briefing on the performance of KE. The committee summoned CEO KE in the next meeting. Abro said that the committee has a lot of discretion in this regard. “If someone does not give importance to the committee, we have the power to order his arrest,” he warned.

President Alvi approves Presidential Iqbal Awards for three authors

The power sector of the country has destroyed, while transmission system is dead, he said. The chairman noted that there is not a single chief engineer in the four Gencos. This is the funeral of Power Division, he added. The condition of the power sector is that no technical employee working there, he maintained. “For God’s sake have mercy on the power sector,” Saifullah Abro remarked. The committee was informed that SEPCO and HESCO companies do not have electricity. SEPCO official said that 500KV transmission line has tripped at 9:35am and the concerned areas are in darkness. The chairman was upset over NTDC official.

The committee was briefed regarding implementation status of recommendations made by the committee in previous meetings. It was also briefed in detail regarding appointment procedures and expenditures regarding BoDs. All resumes were reviewed in detail. The committee was also briefed regarding total generation and consumption of electricity in Balochistan. The matter of illegal connections was discussed as well.   

Court suspends arrest warrant of Rana Sanaullah

The matter of constitution of BoDs of Distribution Companies (DISCOs) is governed under the Companies Act, 2017 and the Public Sector (Corporate Governance Rules), 2013. The committee was informed that under these rules, the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) recently reconstituted BoDs of four DISCOs (MEPCO, GEPCO, SEPCO and HESCO) after approval from the federal cabinet. The committee reviewed in detail appointment procedures and expenditures regarding BODs as well as minutely scrutinised resumes of BoD members. The committee showed severe concern regarding the appointment criteria of BoD members and constituted a sub-committee to review the matter in detail. Conflict of interest, in case of many members, was observed. It was asserted that strict action against officers involved in the selection process must be taken. The committee directed the ministry that reconstitution of all BoDs must be pended until this enquiry is completed.  

While discussing total generation and consumption of electricity in Balochistan, the committee enquired details of illegal connections and the process of recovery in battle hardened areas of the province. The committee was informed of the number of illegal tube-well in these areas and QESCO demand and drawl. It was known that 1,500MW was the average demand and 870MW was average shortfall of the connections. It was observed that 33 percent load factor compensation of tube-wells resulted in 1,500MW demand. The matter has been taken up by the newly constituted sub-committee.   Discussing the matter of promotions of XEN in PESCO, the committee was informed that according to rules, promotions can only be awarded on preordained seats. An internal inquiry will be conducted in this regard and the matter will be discussed minutely in the next meeting.

No concrete outcome of talks with TTP: Khawaja Asif

NIPCO House, 4 - Shaharah e Fatima Jinnah, Lahore, Pakistan Tel: +92 42 36367580    |     Fax : +92 42 36367005