Nawaz agrees to hold closed door moot with Imran, Kayani

[Devil Soul]

ISLAMABAD -

PM says eliminating energy crisis, terrorism govt's top priority


Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said the energy crisis and terrorism topped his government's priority list and he would not sit idle until the country was purged of both the problems, adding that he would fulfill Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan’s demand by convening a meeting of the PTI chief and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani in which the country's engagement in the war against terrorism and the policy on drone strikes would be discussed.

The prime minister said this during his interaction with senior newspaper publishers, editors, anchors and columnists, who had been invited to the Prime Minister’s Office to discuss the government's Energy Policy 2013-18.

Nawaz was flanked by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Water and Power Minister Khwaja Asif, Oil and Gas Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Dr Musaddiq Malik and Adviser to the Prime Minister on Energy Shaukat Tareen.

PTI chief Khan had made his participation in the prime minister's all parties conference (APC) conditional, stating that he needed a briefing over the country's policy on drone strikes and its engagement in the war against terrorism.

Nawaz told journalists that the government would also hold the APC probably soon after Eidul Fitr to chalk out the country's security policy, adding that foreign investment would remain a dream until a secure environment was provided which was mandatory for economic jumpstart and revival.

He said he would also consult the military top brass over the matter and asked the journalists and intelligentsia to send him written proposals if they had any.

Unveiling the energy policy, Nawaz said it envisaged ending load shedding in three years' time and making the country energy surplus in five years. He said the government needed a no-objection certificate (NoC) from India to ensure World Bank funding for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam. Here Dar interrupted the prime minister and said the government had told the World Bank that it would lower the dam's height and the World Bank officials agreed to provide the funding and there would be no need for seeking an NoC from India now.

Later, Dr Malik gave the journalists a two-hour-long powerpoint briefing over the government's energy policy. He said the policy focused on reduction in the cost of power production from Rs 14.6 per unit to Rs 9 per unit and to completely eliminate power theft and line losses.

He said upgrading the distribution system and increasing capacity by installing new power projects including hydropower projects, were the hallmark of the government's five-year plan. Malik said the purpose of the policy was to remove red-tape and bring in transparency and accountability in the energy sector.

Dr Malik added that the policy aimed at rationalising the tariff structure and providing a level playing field to all. He said the consumers using less than 200 units of electricity would be provided electricity on subsidised rates while those crossing the redline would have to pay higher tariff.

He said two projects, envisioning to produce 1,450 megawatts of electricity, would be installed within a year and the current bulbs would be replaced by energy savers.

Malik said 90 percent of the thermal power plants in India had been converted to coal while in Pakistan only one percent coal-based thermal power was being generated. He said power conservation was also priority of the government.

To a question, the prime minister said the presidential election should be delayed within the limits provided in the constitution as August 6 was falling on Ramadan 27 and there was a possibility that at least 10 percent of the lawmakers would not be able to participate in the voting. He said since the presidential election was important, the Election Commission of Pakistan should ensure 100 percent participation.

Meanwhile, an official statement quoted the prime minister as saying that most of the time and energy of the government had been consumed in addressing the daunting issue of energy shortage in the country and ensuring its smooth availability to domestic users‚ industries and other sectors.

Talking about the challenges facing the government‚ the prime minister said most of the state-owned institutions such as the PIA‚ Railways and Pakistan Steel Mills were eating up billions of rupees. - See more at: Energy crisis, terrorism government's top priority: Nawaz | Pakistan Today | Latest news | Breaking news | Pakistan News | World news | Business | Sport and Multimedia

 

[Amaa'n]

i think i find weird in all this fiasco is that throughout the world, Extremism has been routed out through Govt and Parliament, here the case is totally different, whats the point of electing MPAs and MNAs if the matter will be resolved in APCs? who is IK? he is just an MNA, so why does is it important for him to be on board? the other MNAs are not equally elected members? they need to cut this APC crap.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

i think i find weird in all this fiasco is that throughout the world, Extremism has been routed out through Govt and Parliament, here the case is totally different, whats the point of electing MPAs and MNAs if the matter will be resolved in APCs? who is IK? he is just an MNA, so why does is it important for him to be on board? the other MNAs are not equally elected members? they need to cut this APC crap.

Hes the leader of TI ... The party governing KPK... as for all parties confrence... i thinks its to bring all parties on the same..

 

[Patriots]

I think only two parties are existed in Pakistani electoral politics ... Rest of parties are eating grass ............

 

[Fracker]

People need to understand this meeting is not to resolve the issues... IK is still too much ignorant and want to know what is Pakistan's Policy on Drones, and terrorism. And it is just a meeting... Why to giving it hype?

Ps: without PTI terrorism can't be tackled, since they are ruling the KPK.

 

[SQ8]

So basically this is all about ego's rather than actual problem solving?
If there was to be a solution, then the KPK representatives should do it.. why does it have to be these two in closed doors..or are the delusional ones ready to admit that this is just another face of personality politics and nothing else. Another drone strike will not cause either to lose sleep.

 

[Jango]

i think i find weird in all this fiasco is that throughout the world, Extremism has been routed out through Govt and Parliament, here the case is totally different, whats the point of electing MPAs and MNAs if the matter will be resolved in APCs? who is IK? he is just an MNA, so why does is it important for him to be on board? the other MNAs are not equally elected members? they need to cut this APC crap.

We, or rather the media, have been giving tooo much importance to these APC's. Better to call a parliament session, since the folks in APC are 90% those who are in parliament.

All the APC's of the past have been largely useless, I don't expect this one to be any different. Just a show game.

Secondly, an APC has no legal authority, it is just a conference outside the legal framework, while a parliamentary debate or resolution has alot of legal weight.

 

[Hyde]

We, or rather the media, have been giving tooo much importance to these APC's. Better to call a parliament session, since the folks in APC are 90% those who are in parliament.

All the APC's of the past have been largely useless, I don't expect this one to be any different. Just a show game.

Secondly, an APC has no legal authority, it is just a conference outside the legal framework, while a parliamentary debate or resolution has alot of legal weight.

Well some of the politicians would boycott the parliament session by presenting any useless argument. The military won't be part of it... The parties outside the parliament will not be stakeholders into that. Whereas in APC, you can call anybody and everybody, request them to be part of the APC conference and it is difficult for opposition parties to reject the APC call.

 

[Jango]

Well some of the politicians would boycott the parliament session by presenting any useless argument. The military won't be part of it... The parties outside the parliament will not be stakeholders into that. Whereas in APC, you can call anybody and everybody, request them to be part of the APC conference and it is difficult for opposition parties to reject the APC call.

The military isn't part of the APC either. As I said before, it was the military that called for a briefing before an APC< PML was going for it without taking the PoV of the Army.

Military can be made part of the conference if the session is held behind closed doors.

As for the excuses part, then I have to say, lakh di lanat on these politicians (every one of them) and this parliament if they will be making excuses for not coming in this session. Let's just ask the Taliban to do a suicide bomb on the parliament then, it becomes useless.

 

[Pakistanisage]

Find a way to solve the problem or get out of the way and let someone else do it........

 

[Amaa'n]

sir those opposing the move in NA will do the same in APC. and if sh!t hits the fan are those-who are outside the Govt going to take responsibility? or what legal authority are they going to have?.
I get the idea behind APC, but i am saying, this idea is flawed and wrong. This needs to be changed.

Well some of the politicians would boycott the parliament session by presenting any useless argument. The military won't be part of it... The parties outside the parliament will not be stakeholders into that. Whereas in APC, you can call anybody and everybody, request them to be part of the APC conference and it is difficult for opposition parties to reject the APC call.

it would be wise to let Military give there briefing, and than let the people make their mind.

The military isn't part of the APC either. As I said before, it was the military that called for a briefing before an APC< PML was going for it without taking the PoV of the Army.

Military can be made part of the conference if the session is held behind closed doors.

As for the excuses part, then I have to say, lakh di lanat on these politicians (every one of them) and this parliament if they will be making excuses for not coming in this session. Let's just ask the Taliban to do a suicide bomb on the parliament then, it becomes useless.