Govt prepares 6-point plan to defuse energy crisis
Official time to be advanced by 1 hour from June 1
By Saad Saud

ISLAMABAD—The Cabinet meeting presided over by PM, Yousaf Raza Gillani has approved a 6-point plan for dealing with energy crisis on emergency basis.
Addressing a press conference, the federal minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf alongwith the federal minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman announced the 6-point agenda as approved by the Cabinet meeting, and informed that these six points were conceived after a mutual consensus which also included the Provincial governments.
The 6-point agenda includes, increasing the daylight saving time by an hour, effective 01st June, Industrial units to observe two holidays on separate days, closure of all commercial markets at 2100 hrs, no electric supply for huge sign boards, closure of half the street lights, and commercial markets to observe holidays on Fridays instead of Sundays.
Besides the governmental offices including the PM secretariat would not be allowed to use air conditioners for three hours, starting from 0800-1100 hrs. He reminded that generating energy took time and efforts, while the government has endeavored for steps, which can at least provide timely relief, while also catering for a long-time planning as well.
The minister informed that currently the Country was short of about 4000 Mw of electricity, which would increase with the passage of time due to shortage of hydel power, which was dependent on gradually depleting river resources. He said that private sector would be encouraged rather than the public sector, because encouraging private sector was the basic policy of PPPP. International tenders for supply of 1200 Mw electricity according to NEPRA tariffs would be floated, and accepted in presence of media and all stake holders.
These tenders would be floated on 20 May, with 15 July as the deadline. After their acceptance by the government the successful bidder would be responsible to supply the energy within 12-18 months time. Electricity supplying barges would also be imported to supply Karachi with an additional electricity of 200 Mw. He informed that some bigwigs and government officials owed WAPDA a massive Rs. 207 billion, for which a special recovery team has been formed, and has warned to take action against WAPDA officials found guilty of involved in causing line losses, while those who manage to lessen the line losses would be rewarded for their endeavors.
He claimed that these conducive steps would enable the Country to come out of the loadshedding crisis within one-year time, while the federal minister Sherry Rehman said that PM has applauded the ministers of PML-N hoping that they would rejoin the cabinet. People all across the country will have 60 additional minutes to utilize before sunset, as the government has announced to advance the official time by one hour from June 1 to utilize maximum daylight. Addressing a joint press conference with the Federal Minister for Information, Sherry Rehman after a cabinet meeting in the capital, Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf said the commercial plazas will now be closed till 9 pm.
He said the shopkeepers will be encouraged to keep their shops open on Sundays and close them on Fridays to distribute the electricity more equitably throughout the week. The minister also announced to import a total of 1200 MW of electricity soon. The advancement of time will remain effective for 90 days. He said the all air conditioners in government buildings including Prime Minister House will be kept inoperative till 11:00 AM every day.
He said 50 per cent of the street lights will be utilized while 1 million energy savers will be provided to conserve energy.
There will be ban on commercial hoardings powered by electricity use, Raja Pervez Ashraf added.