Khyber Pakhtunkhwa APC agree on using all options on net profit arrears

All Parties Conference of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Monday agreed to support the ANP-led provincial government in using any option regarding the payment of arrears in head of net profit on hydro-power generation and construction of new water reservoirs. The conference was also unanimous on protecting the rights of the province at any cost.
The All Parties Conference was convened by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Government held here at Chief Minister's House with Chief Minister, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, in the chair. The conference was attended by the representatives of all political parties except for Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf due to their public meeting in Lahore.
Briefing the media, the spokesman of the provincial government, Mian Iftikhar Hussein, said that the conference was called to take the political leadership of the province into confidence on net hydel profits arrears and construction of potential water reservoirs. Chief Minister KP Ameer Haider Khan Hoti briefed participants of the jirga in detail on the hydel projects and the ground realities and progress about payment of net hydel profits arrears.
Terming the conference as highly successful effort, Mian Iftikhar Hussein said that similar conference (Jirga ) was also held in holy month of Ramzan this year had agreed to uncap the net hydel profit amount of Rs 6 billion and lump sum payment of the arrears instead of receiving it in instalment.
The participants of the meeting vowed to protect rights of the province at all cost, saying political harmony and unity is the key to address issues pertaining to interest of people and province at large. The Chief Minister Khyber-Pakthunkhwa, while informing the meeting regarding implementation on the agreed points, said that Federal Government has formed a committee for uncapping the net profit on hydel power before reaching any decision on the subject matter. Two meetings of the Committee had been held without any outcome.
The Khyber-Paktunkhwa Government desired for early decision of the Committee. He said the KP Government would go for other options if the federation did not adhere to the proposed decision of the said committee. The political parties have assured their full support if the KP Government was compelled to opt for other options.
The conference was told that WAPDA has not paid three instalments of six billion rupees of net hydel power profit and was using delaying tactics on implementation of already agreed methodology and framework on which the provincial government has expressed its serious reservations.
The Chief Minister also apprised them about hurdles in lump sum payment of net hydel power profit. They were informed that the federal government's financial constraints and difficulties were main hurdles in resolution of the problem. The Finance Minister assured for lump sum payment soon after improvement of financial position.
The all parties' conference was also invited to participate in the inauguration ceremonies of Lawai and Mataltan hydel power projects that would held shortly. Earlier, the participants were informed about 24 projects of hydel powers prepared by SHYDO to generate inexpensive electricity for the industries and domestic consumption.
In presence of political leaders, he said representatives of provincial government and sponsors of Sukhi canal and Pattrun hydle project have signed agreement regarding use of its water. The Pattrun power project would be completed with an estimated cost of $238 million with 147 mega watt power generation capacity that would give 145million rupees profit to provincial kitty.
Likewise, he said 840 MW electricity would be produced from $1.6 billion Sukhi project that would generate Rs 1242 million revenue for Khyber-Pakthunkhwa.He said that soft loan would be taken for Chesma Right Bank Canal and Chief Minister Khyber-Pakthunkhwa will meet with World Bank officials on Tuesday in this regard. A proposal for the establishment of Industrial Estates in areas close to hydel power projects also came under discussion.