Govt announces 3.5 hours reduction in loadshedding from tomorrow

Islamabad: Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and PML-N leader Monday said the duration of loadshedding would be reduced to three-and-a-half hours from tomorrow (Tuesday).

Addressing a press conference alongside State Minister for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir Khan and Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, he presented the reasons for the energy shortfall.

The PML-N leader held the former government responsible for power shortages, saying  the country's electricity demand had exceeded 25,000MW during the summer.

He highlighted that when the current government assumed charge, the electricity generation capacity was at 17,000MW which was increased to more than 21,000MW over the past three weeks.

He went on to say that the government and cabinet apologised to the people for the current loadshedding, but asked for time to resolve the existing issues.

"Today, we are producing 21,000MW which means we have a shortfall of 4,000MW," he said, adding that this translated into a little more than four hours of loadshedding to fill the supply and demand gap.

We have decided that from tomorrow (Tuesday) we will reduce loadshedding to three-and-a-half hours, he said, adding that additional money had been paid while oil had also been arranged to ensure this. "We are hopeful that by tomorrow loadshedding will be reduced to 3.5 hours."

In the next phase when coal is imported, the duration of loadshedding will further reduce by June 16. "By June 30, the duration will be less than two hours, close to an hour-and-a-half."

He expressed the hope that the government would be able to reduce this further during the month of July.

The PML-N leader further said that the government was not interested in making excuses and was focused on fixing the issues plaguing the country.

Lashing out at the former government for the lies it told regarding establishing power plants, Abbasi said Pakistan was unable to fulfil its electricity demand for the summer.