Billions given to IPPs during PML-N tenure, says Murad Saeed
- By Web Desk -
- Apr 21, 2020
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed on Tuesday said that billions of rupees were given to the independent power producers (IPPs) during PML-N tenure without carrying out any audit, ARY NEWS reported.
Talking during ARY NEWS programme ‘Power Play’, Murad Saeed said that Imran Khan had fulfilled his promise to conduct inquiries into the dubious dealings related to the IPPs.
“It is not the prime minister’s personal interest rather it was in the greater interest of the nation that the premier ordered an inquiry into the matters related to IPPs,” he said adding that they want to inform masses as to how they were looted by previous rulers.
Soon after coming into power, the Nawaz government released Rs 480 billion to the IPPs and no one raised any hue and cry as to why this much amount was released, the postal minister said.
He further said that Rs 180 billion was provided to the IPPs during the PML-N tenure. “Hue and cry was raised to conduct an inquiry into the matter but it was put under the carpet,” he said.
Murad Saeed said that the cabinet decided to public the report on independent power producers to let the masses know how they were being overburdened through increase in power tariff.
Read More: Omar Ayub holds talks with IPPs to lower power tariff
The federal cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, has approved on Tuesday to make public the inquiry report on the power sector, ARY News reported, citing sources.
The cabinet gave approval after Chairman Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) Muhammad Ali presented the recommendations and report in the meeting.
In September 2019, a committee was constituted by Prime Minister Imran Khan, headed by former Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) chairman Muhammad Ali, to probe the wrongdoings in the power sector.
The committee last week had submitted its report and pointed out irregularities worth hundreds of billions of rupees by the Independent Power Producers (IPPs).