Who is responsible? By Sartaj Aziz

[Kompromat]

@Samson.Sharaf

Sir you wrote a string of articles, on 'Pakistan's economic hitmen'. Portion of that was about the load shedding. Would you,like to respond to that in the light of this article?

 

[Argus Panoptes]

@Samson.Sharaf

Sir you wrote a string of articles, on 'Pakistan's economic hitmen'. Portion of that was about the load shedding. Would you,like to respond to that in the light of this article?

In addition, it would be great if we could discuss PTI's policies for ending loadshedding with Sir @Samson.Sharaf insights.

 

[RazorMC]

You are correct that industrial power demand rose during Gen Musharraf's time, but the real increase in power demand has come from the domestic sector, with rising urbanization and rising consumerism on top of a rising population.

Currently, household power consumption accounts for nearly half of the power demand, while industrial demand consumes about a quarter. And household power demands are rising more rapidly. This has been true for many decades now.

A lot of industries are just sapping away at the energy despite having no connection. Regularizing the utility connections on a nationwide scale would show the real numbers where these leeches were just sucking the nation dry without paying a rupee. And not just electricity, but gas too.

This goes for a lot of households as well. Honest consumers who pay their bills on time are suffering because a lot of illegal residential connections are stealing precious electricity and water.

While Musharraf did bring about investments into Pakistan, his mismanagement caused more harm than good on the larger scale. Economic nmbers were increasing but a lot of the big fish just went off the radar.


BTW: Asad Umar had highlighted this issue from an economic PoV. Addressing this issue relies on generating alternative sources of fuel, less reliance on importing it and tackling the circular debt. Obviously, the fraudulent IPPs will have to go at the earliest, saving countless Rupees.

 

[DGMO]

what shoud have shebaz sharif done with an electricity generation plant is ran wires to individual homes?

Well, the dictator of Punjab (Shabhaz Sharif) may have been better advised to relinquish some of his 18 ministries a lot earlier that he was absurdly responsible for.

And then, having removed that thirst for total power, what he should've done from the outset was champion change, outline plans to amend the current set-up so that greater control is transferred from the Federal level to a Provincial level with respect to power generation - just something, anything that you would expect from an effective adminstrator.

In short, my point is simple, what visible steps, plans, ideas has PML-N aggressively pursued in order to address load-shedding over the past 5 years? The textile industry has collapsed under their noses in Faislabad and other areas of Punjab, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost. Where is the will to change the status quo? How have the PML-N taken a deteriorating situation by the scruff of the neck and said "this is what we need to do, and now"? The PML-N that has allowed these jobs to be lost are now talking of creating 3 million jobs? Please, try sticking to governance, and not comedy.

What change have they pushed for whether it be with cross-party consensus, or within the provinicial or national assembly?

This is perhaps the primary issue facing the country, as it is so intrinsically tied to our economic situation. FDI is non-existant, industry can't grow, students can't study, homes go without power, so this is an issue that demands around the clock attention, urgent meetings and solutions.

I've seen none of that drive from the PML-N over the past 5 years apart from rhetoric and empty promises. They've failed on this issue (as well as other issues).

However, never before has the situation been so critical , and that has happened in Punjab totally on their watch. They are as much to blame (if not more) than the incompetent and disastrous PPP government.

 

[xyxmt]

Well, the dictator of Punjab (Shabhaz Sharif) may have been better advised to relinquish some of his 18 ministries a lot earlier that he was absurdly responsible for.

And then, having removed that thirst for total power, what he should've done from the outset was champion change, outline plans to amend the current set-up so that greater control is transferred from the Federal level to a Provincial level with respect to power generation - just something, anything that you would expect from an effective adminstrator.

In short, my point is simple, what visible steps, plans, ideas has PML-N aggressively pursued in order to address load-shedding over the past 5 years? The textile industry has collapsed under their noses in Faislabad and other areas of Punjab, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost. Where is the will to change the status quo? How have the PML-N taken a deteriorating situation by the scruff of the neck and said "this is what we need to do, and now"? The PML-N that has allowed these jobs to be lost are now talking of creating 3 million jobs? Please, try sticking to governance, and not comedy.

What change have they pushed for whether it be with cross-party consensus, or within the provinicial or national assembly?

This is perhaps the primary issue facing the country, as it is so intrinsically tied to our economic situation. FDI is non-existant, industry can't grow, students can't study, homes go without power, so this is an issue that demands around the clock attention, urgent meetings and solutions.

I've seen none of that drive from the PML-N over the past 5 years apart from rhetoric and empty promises. They've failed on this issue (as well as other issues).

However, never before has the situation been so critical , and that has happened in Punjab totally on their watch. They are as much to blame (if not more) than the incompetent and disastrous PPP government.

you know the funny thing is, I am sure you also think that Sind and Fedral govt have too many ministries. I dont know how Imran will manage federal govt with only 17 (i think thats whats in the plans) cabinet position. As far as what they have done for Electricity problem, SS many times on his interviews said that they have plans and investment ready for a 500 MW plant but investor wants guarantee from federal govt which Punjab govt has asked for and nothing has been done on it so far. I will just leave at that because people only believe their leader.

 

[Humble Pakistani]

The blame game can go on… but all are looters and robbers. They have been in power to loot Pakistan hollow! They know that Pakistan still have some juice left so they are putting up a front to fool the people into electing them again so they can continue their plunder till Pakistan is completely dead and then they will go to their palaces in England, France, Spain or Saudi Arabia and have their celebration of Pakistan’s demise.

 

[Edevelop]

No no no. Pakistan's GDP actually grew pretty fast in Musharraf's era and industrial growth was also evident. But power projects was where Musharraf needed to focus since there was a rapid rise in demand and the comparable energy production was quite low.

And this had another ill effect: the poor segment found many things had become expensive due to the rapid growth without proper planning. Property for one and consumer pricing for another.

After 9/11, he received billions of dollars, FDI, and provided easy loans to people. In fact every dictator of Pakistan received some form of aid from the U.S, which is evident as we compare their foreign policies and economic growth rates between civilian governments.