Adviser to the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan has stated that the burden of load shedding will be shared equally in both rural and urban areas, except for Key Point Installations (KPI) and other critical facilities.
“If load shedding is necessary, it must start from my own residence. We will follow the same policy. We will not adopt any strategy that exempts urban areas from load shedding while neglecting rural areas,” he said.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists on Monday (17 February) after a session with the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Railways, and Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges on the second day of the Deputy Commissioners' (DC) Conference at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
The adviser said, “We have held a meeting chaired by the Finance Adviser to secure foreign currency support for LNG and coal imports, including discussions with private banks.”
Fauzul Kabir Khan also announced that additional gas supply would be ensured for the power sector during the month of Ramadan.
“The Energy Division has arranged for an increased gas supply of 1,200 MMCFD during Ramadan, up from the previous 800-900 MMCFD. Even after Ramadan, the supply will remain at 1,100 MMCFD,” he said.
He emphasized that the country does not face a shortage in power generation capacity. “We have initiated tariff renegotiations because, as you know, electricity has been purchased at excessively high prices,” he noted.
“We aim to place the power and energy sectors on a sustainable footing so that future governments do not have to endure the hardships we are facing now,” the adviser added.
