Updated on
Summary
President Asif Ali Zardari asked the business and industrialist community to join hands with the government in a partnership for ridding the country of the problem of power shortage and outages, once and for all. The persistent and long hours of loadshedding in the hot summer has tested the patience of the people to its limits, the President said, adding, let us together-the government and the private entrepreneur-take the bull by the horns. The government has already embarked upon rental power projects to meet urgent energy needs but we also need to think of some out of box solutions for a long term solution, he said. The President said this during a brainstorming meeting on the energy issues in the country that was participated by Ministers and senior officials and half a dozen leading entrepreneurs of the country. The President suggested that a company be formed collectively by energy investors which should offer shares to the general public through the stock exchange to raise capital. The President said that the energy crisis was the result of criminal neglect during the past decade on the one hand and the chasing and hounding of IPPs before that on the other. However, the challenge is now before us and we have to find a solution rather than continue the blame game, he said. Earlier, President Zardari called for stepped up efforts to finalize import of hydro electric power from Tajikistan to help overcome acute power shortage in the country. Finalization of power import agreement and preferential trade agreement will reinforce Pakistan-Tajikistan ties, the President said. The President said this during a meeting with Tajik Minister for Energy and Industry Gul Sherali who called on him at the Presidency. On the invitation of Tajik President Enomali Rahman, the President of Pakistan will shortly undertake a visit to Tajikistan.
