News
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
No immediate relief in power crisis: Nawaz* PML-N chief says load shedding will take some time to go
* Announces to explode ‘economic bomb’ during his tenure
By Kashif Hussain
LAHORE: While advising the nation to show patience over electricity load shedding, prime minister-in-waiting Nawaz Sharif has said that no immediate relief could be expected in power crisis, but he was confident that he would be able to improve the situation within days‚ not months or years.
Nawaz said that the masses should not expect an immediate resolution of the load-shedding problem and presume that it (load-shedding) would end when his government takes charge because it would take some time and he would try his best to overcome it. The PML-N chief announced that he had given the country nuclear bomb in his last tenure and now his government would “explode an economic bomb”, so the overseas Pakistanis and foreign investors should invest in the country.
Nawaz was addressing a special Youm-e-Takbeer ceremony to celebrate 1998 nuclear tests under his previous premiership at the Aiwan-e-Karkonan-e-Pakistan on Tuesday. He expressed regrets over the crises facing Pakistan despite it being a great nation and seventh nuclear power in the world. He told the gathering that now the time has come to re-think about the reasons why the country is facing darkness and why the common man could not get relief. He said that electricity load shedding had not only affected the life of the common man but also damaged the economy of the country.
In the speech marking the 15th anniversary of Pakistan’s first successful nuclear weapons test, Nawaz said it was shameful that the country struggled so badly just to keep the lights on. “It’s a tragedy that a country with atomic weapons is deprived of electricity and has no electricity for even 20 hours a day. How can a country develop in such a situation?” he said.
He said foreign firms setting up power projects would be allowed to repatriate profits, but warned against expectations of a swift end to the crisis. “Please do not expect that we will solve this energy problems in days,” he told an audience in Lahore. “We will try our best and will use all our resources to solve this problem but you will have to show patience. I cannot give you an exact timeframe but I will struggle and will do my best.”
Nawaz assured the nation that despite severe challenges his new government would try its best to steer the country out of all the crises it is facing and people would see some relief in their lives soon after the PML-N government’s establishment on June 5. Showing confidence in his party’s short-term measures to address the issue of electricity load shedding during its new government, he said that strict action would be taken against those involved in electricity theft and concrete steps will be taken to reduce line losses that would help decrease the shortfall of electricity.
Talking about repairing the economic system and overcoming unemployment, Nawaz said that he had already chalked out a new revolutionary economic programme with China during a meeting with the Chinese prime minister when he was on a visit to Pakistan. He said such plans would not only facilitate Pakistan but China too. He said that the resolution of load-shedding issue needs investment of billions of rupees, so no miracle can be expected in this regard. Nawaz said his new government would set up coal-based plant in Karachi, but added that it would also take time.
About relations with neighbouring countries, the incoming prime minister said that although his government in 1998 conducted atomic blasts in response to Indian explosions, but now the situation has been changed and Pakistan wants to settle the issues with India through negotiations. Nawaz paid rich tributes to the nation for its decision to give his party a clear-cut majority in the general elections. He exclusively appreciated the people of Punjab for voting the PML-N, saying that it was a mature decision by them. He also promised to launch some special schemes for the youth to increase employment opportunities.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk