Punjab rejects federal govt's energy conservation plan

LAHORE: Punjab government on Tuesday rejected the energy conservation plan presented by the federal government to overcome the energy crisis amid the financial crunch, ARY News reported.

Provincial Minister of Punjab for Industries, Commerce and Investment Mian Muhammad Aslam Iqbal said that the federal government’s energy conversion plan is not acceptable, if the government had no option but to announce such measures then it should have consulted all the stakeholders ‘Council of Common Interests meeting should be called before taking any decision regarding taking any such decision.

He further added that the federal cabinet has to take all provinces into confidence before announcing any decision.

While criticizing the incumbent government, he said, the decision was taken in a closed-room meeting adding that expecting the provincial government to follow such a plan is arbitrary

He also suggested the government should consult all the chambers of commerce across the country before forcing the closure of markets at 8:30 pm.

While announcing his support to the country’s business community, He added, that the government should also consider the unemployment ratio and the overall business situation, reminding the coalition government that the textile industry along with several other industries are shutting down due to financial crunch.

Earlier today, the federal government announced that the federal cabinet has approved the energy conservation plan, according to which all markets will shut at 8:30 pm and wedding halls by 10 pm.

“All markets and shopping malls will be closed by 8:30 pm and wedding halls at 10:00 pm across the country, announced Defence Minister Khawaja Asif while addressing a press conference flanked by ministers Sherry Rehman, Khurrum Dastgir and Marriyum Aurangzeb.

Briefing media about the decisions taken in a cabinet meeting that met in Islamabad with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair, Khawaja Asif said that the energy conservation plan would help Pakistan to save 8,000 to 9,000 megawatts of electricity and Rs62 billion in a year.