KARACHI (Dunya News) - Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader Mustafa Kamal asserted that independent power producers (IPPs) were a burden on the economy which would lead to disaster.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi, Kamal claimed that MQM-p was the only party in Pakistan who suggested resolving the power crisis to provide relief to the public.
MQM-P has the power to go to every institution of the state to address public issues. He warned that Pakistan would default if the power crisis couldn’t be taken seriously as 2600 billion to be paid to IPPs under the agreement.
“Every year 200 billion are going to drain in the power sector,” he emphasised. “Decision to run IPPs has not been fruitful although we can’t blame the vision behind it,” Kamal reiterated.
He demanded to reduce power tariff across the country not only in Punjab, giving response on Nawaz Sharif’s announcement to provide Rs14 per unit relief for power consumers using up to 500 units.
He claimed that around 52 pc IPPs were owned by the government while 20 pc IPPs were foreign.
"CLOSE LOCAL IPPS"
“Local IPPs to be inactivated from the system while foreign IPPs should be run for time being.” MQM-P leader suggested.
He compared the funds for IPPs, stating funds to be paid to IPPs were greater than the defence budget which accounted for 2200 billion.
Pakistan had more capacity to produce electricity to meet consumption demand, he stressed.
Pakistan has the capacity to produce 45, 000 megawatt however, transmission lines capacity is only confined to 22, 000 megawatt, Kamal highlighted.
Mustafa Kamal reminded that Pakistan has borrowed loans from the IMF and IMF consent was required for any decision.