Ishaq Dar chairs ECC meeting

According to sources, during the meeting ECC has considered a summary of the Ministry of Water and Power for allowing NTDC to approach NEPRA for approval of the agreed tariff with Power Generation and Transmission Management Company, Iran (TAVANIR) and of power acquisition request.

It may be mentioned that the NTDC is purchasing 74MW electricity from TAVANIR Iran since November 2002 for supply to Makran Division, Baluchistan.

The last contract between the two expired on 31.12.2013 and TAVANIR has agreed to provide electricity for another term ending 31st December 2014 on the same tariff.

The Finance Minister while agreeing to the request of NTDC, said that the government is already working on comprehensive energy plan to boost power generation and in this regard import of electricity from Iran will be helpful.

The Finance Minister also emphasized on the concerned Ministries to expedite payment of arrears of TANAVIR by working with the Iranian side on exchange of wheat and rice for the arrears.

The ECC also considered summary of the Ministry of Water and Power for approval of policy to attract private sector investment in transmission lines projects.

Meanwhile, Chairman FBR Tariq Bajwa briefed the ECC that the FBR is facing the shortfall because of the political crisis that halts the economic activities.

Furthermore, the ECC considered and approved the summary of Aviation Division for provision of GOP guarantee to support the facility of Pak rupees 1.0 billion, to PIAC, from a private bank. Secretary Aviation Division, Mr. Mohammad Ali Gardezi informed that loan will be utilized for paying liabilities of PIAC to smoothen the forthcoming Hajj operation.