Directives issued to disconnect power supply to defaulters: Qamar

Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar on Thursday said that Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of power companies have been directed to disconnect electricity supply to all defaulter government departments.
Talking to media after award distribution ceremony of first mid career management course of senior officers here, he said that Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) has issued notices to the Prime Minister Secretariat, Pak Secretariat, Capital Development Authority and others to clear their dues for avoiding power supply disconnection.
He said that the Pakistan State Oil would be able to purchase oil for power generation units when these organisations and consumers would clear their dues in time. Naveed Qamar said that the government had injected Rs 120 billion to address circular debt issue but receivable is mounting again due to non-payment of electricity bills by certain departments.
Replying to a question, the minister said efforts were being made to reduce duration of power loadshedding and eight to nine different projects would come in the national grid system soon. "Some of these projects are on test running," he maintained.
Chashma Power Plant-II recently inaugurated by the Prime Minister went out of order due to some technical fault and in a few days it would start supplying 300 MW to the national grid system. Commenting on strike of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) employees, Naveed Qamar said that the KESC administration has been directed to resolve the issue amicably. He said the KESC administration placed around 4,000 employees in surplus pool. "Privatisation does not mean that the company remain oblivious to the people needs," he asserted.
Responding to another query, the minister said that power companies would not be privatised rather it would be made efficient by inducting new competent people. He said the government was endeavouring to minimise target subsides. Earlier, speaking to the participants of award distribution ceremony, the minister said the civil bureaucracy was a backbone of administrative structure of the country.