ISLAMABAD: The Sindh government and private consumers in the province owe maximum amount payable in terms of electricity bills and the matter lingers on despite repeated requests, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif informed National Assembly on Tuesday.
Responding to a point of order by MNA Ayaz Soomro from Sindh, the minister said, in total Rs 66 billion worth electricity bills are outstanding with the Sindh government departments as well as private consumers.
"We made repeated efforts and asked Sindh government to identify as to which amount is payable against its departments and which against the private consumers and only Rs nine billion were reconciled," the said.
"The apathy is that even out of this reconciled amount of Rs nine billion, the Sindh government only paid Rs 600 million," he added and once again requested the PPPP members in the House to persuade their government in the province to pay outstanding dues.
As Ayaz Soomro had raised the issue of 18 hours load shedding in Larkana, the minister offered the member to go to Larkana and anywhere else where there is a problem but said, the power sector can only survive when the government institutions and consumers pay their bills regularly.
He said the problem started from PPPP regime when the then government entered into agreement with nine power plants guaranteeing them payment every month come what may. "But, the issue of payment of bills remained unaddressed and now both the DESCOs in Sindh are at the verge of disaster due to non payment by consumers and uninterrupted payments to nine companies. We are forced to purchase power from these power plants."
He said the situation is worse and the members might be knowing that Police Stations and WASA like departments are selling power to residents from their connections. So we asked the provincial government to inform us about their connection and after receiving the list from provincial government about its departments we disconnected remaining connection. "This resulted in a hue and cry but nobody assisted us to recover the defaulted amount from the government departments and the consumers."
He stated that a reconciliation process was started with Sindh consumers and the Sindh government and its institutions had taken responsibility for payment of outstanding dues to both the DESCOs.
However, he said, the matter still lingers on and I once again request the members and Leader of the Opposition Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah to ensure payment for these two DESCOs.
He also informed that K Electric has claimed a hefty amount from federal government. However, this amount is payable by Karachi Water Board yet the K Electric has stopped Rs 50 billion payment to Sui Southern.
"We are ready to share the burden of the provincial government but at least they should pay a sufficient amount from outstanding Rs 66 billion," he said and added, no other province owes that much amount as owed by the Sindh province.
On this Leader of the Opposition, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said, it is just demand of the Minister that the amount reconciled must be paid by the Sindh government.
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