Dr. Yasmin Raashid advisor to PTI Chairman said after biggest fraud in the history of Pakistan has surfaced in the Ministry of Water and Power, Khawaja Asif is again trying to fool the nation with cooked up figures and has claimed that power generation has improved in his tenure. Sharif Brothers and Khawaja Asif tried to fool the public with dummy power projects but they have been badly exposed she added. She said it has been more than two years since PML-N came into power and they have done nothing beside loot and plunder of public funds in the name of construction of new power projects. What happened with Nadipur, Sahiwal coal power project and Gadanipower project she questioned? She said even today public is experiencing rampant load shedding and Khawaja Asif is calming that their government is utilizing 90 percent installed capacity of the power projects. Khawaja Asif is advised not to distort the facts and answer Auditor General???s allegations for embezzling of Rs980 billion in his ministry she added.
PTI Information Secretary Andleeb Abbas said Pakistan has an installed electricity generation capacity of 22,797MW; the average demand is around 17,000MW. As per Khawaja Asif claims they were generating record 16,890 MW of power, which means Pakistan, is facing shortfall of only 110 MW if Khawaja Asif claim is accepted and thus load shedding should not be more than one hour. But the situation on ground is that there is an average load shedding of 10 hours in a day she added. She said Khawaja Asif claims are packs of lies; this is a pity as the government is not even ready to concede even the misery of the common man. The fact of the matter is Pakistan is facing shortfall of 6,000 MW that is why public is facing 10 hours load shedding she said. There is quite a bit of generating capacity lying idle but the government is not willing to utilize it as construction of new power projects offer lucrative commissions she added. She said Pakistan has the potential to meet energy challenges through hydel power but shortsighted policy makers of so-called experienced team of Sharif Brothers does not want to think beyond their noses. To keep IMF happy Sharif Brothers have increased gas and power tariff She added. Sharif Brothers have done no miracle for Pakistan but have surrendered the country to economic hit men working for IMF she added.