PM Shehbaz seeks plan to solarise govt buildings in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has directed the authorities concerned to formulate a plan at the earliest for solarisation of government buildings in Islamabad, ARY News reported.

The prime minister, who chaired the meeting of the cabinet committee on energy, was given a briefing on the gas development schemes across the country.

The cabinet committee approved the completion of construction work of the gas development schemes started during 2013-18.

Federal ministers for finance, planning, energy and parliamentary affairs, Advisor Ahad Cheema, state ministers for petroleum and finance and senior government officers attended the meeting.

Earlier in July, it was reported that the federal government has decided to shift government buildings to solar energy amid the energy crisis.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Task Force on Solar Energy. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.

In a statement, the Information Minister said that the meeting reviewed various measures to increase the production of solar energy and decided to shift public buildings on solar energy.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the meeting has also decided to set up solar plants where electricity is being provided on subsidy. “The participants have also mulled over formulating policies to promote energy-saving and green energy,” she added.

She further said that steps were being taken to further increase the solar energy capacity, adding that the use of solar panels would also enable the government to sale additional power to grid stations.