Power shortages to persist, top official tells Prime Minister

Power crisis will persist, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was informed by Secretary Water and Power, till such a time as demand declines to narrow the shortfall. A two-paragraph statement issued by the Prime Minister Office after briefing by Secretary Water and Power on current power situation in the country noted that the Prime Minister was informed that there has been an unprecedented surge in power demand on the first day of Ramazan, which necessitated some forced load shedding, and the situation could only be brought under control if the demand decreases.
The Prime Minister who called Secretary Water and Power Younus Dagha and sought a briefing from him on load-shedding situation directed that all steps be taken on an urgent basis to address the situation so that the sufferings of people can be mitigated at the earliest. Danyal Gilani, a media focal person in the Prime Minister Office, fully supported the secretary and asked what measures could the government have taken to reduce load shedding when demand is so high. An official on condition of anonymity said the entire reliance on decreasing load shedding appears to be on weather (divine help).
Sources said the secretary informed the Prime Minister that in some areas electricity is not being provided due to 90 percent theft and line losses as nothing was done during the last two years to reduce the line losses.
Responding to a question of provision of subsidy to the power sector to lessen the load shedding subsidy, an official of Finance Ministry said there was a huge cost of subsidies to the power sector on the budget due to competence issues of Water and Power Ministry. He added that allocation of subsidy to power sector of Rs 185 billion was increased to Rs 221 billion in the revised estimates for the current fiscal year and this does not include subsidy provided through supplementary grants. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has acknowledged that the government has sought approval from the parliament for supplementary grants of Rs 136 billion with major amount for subsidy to power sector.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif summoned Secretary Water and Power after unannounced load shedding triggered violent protests in various parts of the country, especially in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, a day after Minister of Water and Power's public commitment of zero load-shedding during Sehar and Iftar.