The meeting also discussed the overall political situation in the country. Minister for Water and Power Naveed Qamar and Minister for Commerce Amin Fahim briefed the meeting about energy crisis, economic situation, and Indian government's agreement to waive its objections against EU's proposed trade concessions to Pakistan.
The spokesperson of the President, Farhatullah Babar, said that Naveed Qamar briefed the meeting on the supply and demand situation of power in the country and the steps underway to meet the energy challenge. He said that Qamar told the meting that the remedial measures adopted had eased the power crisis by increasing generation by 4500 MW, which had reduced outages. He said that for the long-term measures the foundation stone of the country's biggest 4500 MW hydro power project, the Bhasha project, would be laid early next week.
Farhat said that the Prime Minister briefed the meeting on the economic situation and relations with coalition partners. According to the spokesperson, Amin briefed the meeting on his recent visit to India and the Indian government's agreement to waive its objections against EU's proposed trade concessions to Pakistan. The President briefed the meeting on the deliberations held on Saturday in a meeting attended by Governor and Chief Minister of Sindh and others in the Presidency on the steps being taken by the provincial government of Sindh to implement the Supreme Court verdict in the suo motu case about Karachi situation.
Farhat said that the President emphasised the need to solve the energy problems on permanent basis, saying that the power situation in the country must be improved and not allowed to degenerate into an issue of power politics. The situation in Balochistan also came under discussion, the spokesperson said.
The meeting was attended by Ms Faryal Talpur, MNA, Nayyar Hussain Bokhari, Leader of the House in Senate, Amin Fahim, Minister for Commerce, Ahmed Mukhtar, Minister for Defence, Khursheed Shah, Minister for Religious Affairs, Shahabuddin, Minister for Textile Industries, Naveed Qamar, Minister for Water and Power, Senator Raza Rabbani, Senator Jahangir Badar, Senator Faisal Raza Abidi, Nazar Muhammad Gondal, Pervaiz Ashraf, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Rukhsana Bangash, Fouzia Wahab, Fouzia Habib, Mehreen Anwar and spokesperson to President Farhatullah Babar.