PM Shehbaz Sharif forms committee to transfer DISCOs to provinces

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a 13-member committee to work out transferring the power distribution companies (DISCOs) to the provinces, ARY News reported. 

The committee has been formed under the chair of Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. Ministers for power, trade, and petroleum and the chief ministers of the province will be members of the committee.

Secretary Council of Common Interests (CII), secretary power and secretary privatisation have also been included in the 13-member committee. The Terms of Reference (ToRs) have also been finalised for the committee.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the committee to put forward its recommendations within 10 days.

It may be noted that last week, the prime minister, who chaired a high-level meeting to discuss the handing over of DISCOs to the provinces, directed the said committee to finalise the strategy without any delay.

The meeting was told that transferring the DISCOs to the provinces was a constitutional step that would help curb the power theft considerably.

Reiterating his resolve to curb the elements involved in the power theft, the premier said the federal government would also extend technical support to the provinces for their capacity building.