Sindh govt demands provinces' representation in federal power entities

KARACHI: Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh on Sunday demanded of the federal government to give representation to the provinces in the public sector power companies as per the constitutional requirements, ARY NEWS reported.

He demanded it in a letter written to the Minister for Power Division Omar Ayub Khan.

He said that under the constitution, the electricity sector can only be exercised through appropriate nomination of the provincial governments on the board of directors, board of governors and management committees in the power companies.

“As per the 18th amendment, the Council of Common Interest (CCI) is authorized for policy-making and supervision of the power companies,” he said adding that the CCI was authorized to make appointments in the companies on the recommendations of the provinces.

He hoped that the federal government would implement the constitutional requirements as soon as possible.

In March 2019, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, during a key meeting, decided to write a letter to the federal government, urging it to convene a meeting of Council of Common Interests (CCI).

CM Shah chaired a meeting of Department of Energy and said the CCI session had not been called for last three months. He was of the view that Sindh had the first right on the gas produced in the province.

“This gas should be first provided to us, so people of the province could no longer face gas crisis domestically,” he said.

The CM complained that the province wasn’t getting its due share of gas. He moaned that the price being given to Sindh was also not at par with the amount of gas the province was distributing.

He also directed the provincial minister for power to consult his legal team and prepare a case in this regard. He told the meeting that Sindh was not in favour of raising gas prices.