Summary The prime minister issued order to control power outages before the elections on May 11.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - The Ministry of Finance on Wednesday released Rs 10 billion to Pakistan State Oil (PSO) for increasing furnace oil supply to help power plants improve production and reduce outages to eight hours a day until general elections.
Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (Retired) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, in a meeting held here on Tuesday, was told that marketing giant PSO needed Rs30 billion to arrange fuel for power plants to enable them to produce maximum electricity.
At present, urban and rural areas are facing 12 and 18 hours of load-shedding respectively. Officials told the PM that outages could be brought down to eight hours a day if the required funds were provided for oil purchase.
The premier agreed that the finance ministry would release Rs20 billion in two equal installments – first before the end of April and second in the first week of May.
The remaining Rs10 billion, out of Rs30 billion, will be arranged by PSO and power companies from their own sources.
The prime minister said this was a short-term plan to control power outages before the elections on May 11 and a long-term plan would be prepared next month.
