PM Shehbaz instructs to recruit honest people in power companies

Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Oct 18 (NNI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed that a list of corrupt officers be compiled in electricity distribution companies and officers of good reputation be appointed in their place so that efficiency can be improved.
The federal cabinet in its meeting chaired by PM Shehbaz Sharif approved, in principle, the expansion of the current installation of advance meters project in Islamabad to other areas of the country to overcome the issue of line losses. The cabinet also approved the installation of advanced meters on power transformers.
The prime minister directed for preparation of a list of corrupt officers in the power distribution companies and deputing of well-reputed officers on different posts to improve the functioning of these companies, reduce the line losses and ensure better public delivery.
He observed that such performing offices should be encouraged with appreciation and awards. Cabinet approves expansion of advanced power metering project to overcome line losses.
The cabinet was given a detailed briefing by the Power Division regarding electricity theft, line losses and the comprehensive strategy to reduce them. The meeting was also apprised of the power theft, line losses, bills and recovery in the DISCOS with the presentation of all the relevant data, besides, issues in the way of recovery from those feeders which had been running into losses and the steps and proposals in this regard.
The prime minister directed the power division to present in the next meeting a comprehensive report on the vacant posts of essential staff in the DISCOs and stressed that the employment process should be held transparent while bringing it at par view the best global practices.
Expressing his dissatisfaction over the average 7 percent line losses, the prime minister set up a committee headed by Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif for the formulation of a comprehensive plan to reduce the line losses average under phases and in line with the global practices, besides submission of recommendations to bring reforms in the power distribution companies.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed on the need of better coordination among the federating units on environment issues.
He was chairing the first meeting of Pakistan Climate Change Council on Tuesday in Islamabad.
The Prime Minister commended the initiative of the Ministry of Climate Change with regard to the constitution of the Climate Change Council and praised the Minister for Climate Change for pleading the case of Pakistan with regard to Climate Change, globally.
He said that climate change induced devastating floods had caused havoc across the country, especially in the provinces of Sindh and Balochistan.
Despite having less than 1 percent share in the global carbon emission, Pakistan was one of the ten countries most affected by climate change, he underlined, a press release issued by the PM Media Wing here said.
The Prime Minister urged the need to improve risk mapping, capacity building to access climate finance as well as loss and damage assessment ability. He emphasized on including risk mitigation and adaptation in disaster management strategies to reduce damages in the future.
The Prime Minister also stressed on the need of better coordination among the federating units on environment issues as environment was a devolved subject after the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The meeting was briefed that this year, Pakistan suffered overwhelming events like severe drought (that dried the delta area of Sindh province), forest fires, heat waves, glacier melting with three times than the average rate, glacial outbreak floods followed by heavy monsoon rains, were induced by climate change.