'Rs 500 billion out of 1.3 trillion subsidy not properly utilised'

Chief Executive PEPCO-IPA Saleem Ahmad Siddiqui said that government has pumped Rs 1.3 trillion into power sector as subsidy during the last four years, of which over Rs 500 billion were not properly utilised due to mismanagement and corruption. He was delivering a lecture on Future of Power Sector in Pakistan organised by Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) on Saturday.
Chairman IEP Lahore Dr Javed Yunas Uppal, Vice-Chairman IEP Lahore Syed Khalid Sajjad and Secretary IEP Lahore Engineer Amir Zamir Khan were also present on the occasion. A well-known expert of power sector Saleem Ahmad said that Pakistan is facing a problem of huge power sector circular debt. He termed the circular debt as termite of the economy. He also said that burden of circular debt should not be passed on to the consumers but the solution of the problem lies in the recovery from the defaulters.
Saleem said that we have the installed capacity of power generation but the problem is that we don't have the money to pay to thermal units. Saleem said that technically Kala Bagh Dam is better option than Bhasha Dam. He also said that meteorological department has forecasted heavy rains this year and if we have the dams we can save the water of rains. He said that we are facing the administrative issues not the technological issues. He was of the view that our power structure needs proper management and restructuring.
Saleem Ahmad said that privatisation could help reduce the country's debt burden and will be helpful in creating job opportunities in the country. He also said that government is spending over Rs 300 billion of taxpayers' money on Private Sector Enterprises (PSEs).
The public sector has not delivered and the real challenge now is to find the way to increase the efficiency and productivity of loss-making enterprises. The workers and employees should have been empowered by keeping away the political interference in order to improve and strengthen public sector institutions.
Chairman Lahore region IEP Dr Javed Yunas Uppal talking about the current situation of privatisation in Pakistan said that present internal as well as external situation is not favourable to launch any privatisation unless the people themselves are empowered.