Presided over by Azam Khan Musakhel, in the absence of Chairman Israrullah Khan Zerhri, the committee asked CEO AEDB Amjad Ali Awan if he has any objection to the proposed PPIB and AEDB merger Bill. His response was he has no objections to the bill, adding that the Ministry had taken him on board prior to finalization of the bill.
In the previous meeting of Standing Committee, Shewar Faryal requested the committee to delay approval of the proposed Bill until AEDB provides comments formally as, according to her, she has received a message from the AEDB that it intends to give comments during the meeting. This revelation angered the Minister and Secretary of Power Division.
Informed sources in the Power Division told this scribe that the Minister took on the CEO AEDB for taking an independent line; and by Tuesday the CEO had completely changed his stance.
Managing Director, PPIB, Shah Jahan Mirza, informed the committee that the bill was slightly been amended in the light of recommendations of Senator Salim Mandviwala with respect to establishment of institute of alternative and renewable energy technologies.
After hearing the viewpoint of CEO AEDB, the committee passed the proposed Bill which will again be passed by the National Assembly prior to sending it to the Senate. On a question about 18 hour loadshedding in Balochistan, Minister for Power Division informed the committee that 10,000 agriculture tube wells, the main drain in the province, will be run on solar power in the first phase which would encompass a period of year. "With the solarisation of agri tube wells, losses in Balochistan will come down and electricity supply situation will improve," he added.
The remaining 20,000 tube wells will be run on solar power in the next two years, he stated. Musakhek said that he is against Kunda system, in favour of using electricity legally and accused Qesco's officials of supporting theft.
The minister stated that he stood by his claim of zero loadshedding in the country and added that presently there is no loadshedding given that there is surplus power. However, those areas where losses are above 10 per cent, loadshedding is being carried out in accordance with the percentage of loss. "We have also sought protection for Qesco staff from law enforcing agencies so that they can perform without any fear," he stated.
The minister said that if uninterrupted power supply is ensured across the country with current level of losses Rs 400-500 billion will be added to the circular debt every year. "We can give uninterrupted supply to the country but the financial loss will be up to Rs 500 billion per annum which the economy would not be able to bear," the minister concluded.