LAHORE
\nJamaat-e-Islami Emir Siraj-ul-Haq has called for a forensic audit of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), asserting that the government must either renegotiate the agreements with the owners or escalate the matter to international courts should any legal issues obstruct local-level settlements.
\nSpeaking at a press conference held at Mansoorah on Wednesday, he also urged the Chief Justice to take action against the costly agreements and hold those responsible accountable, with the ultimate goal of providing relief to the masses. He also unveiled a white paper on the energy sector during the event.
\nThe JI chief advocated for legitimate trade with Iran and the completion of the IP-Gas Pipeline Project. He emphasized that if U.S. pressure hinders progress, the government should demand affordable energy from Washington.
\nHe said smuggling along the Iran border could not occur without some level of official involvement. He said the mafia were reaping the benefits of the illicit trade, ultimately causing substantial losses to the general public and the national treasury.
\nThe JI leader criticized past governments for their flawed decisions, attributing the misery of the masses to their actions. He pointed out that the former governments of the PPP and the PML-N had entered into agreements with companies to produce expensive electricity, neglecting the potential for cheap and accessible electricity through local resources.
\nHe questioned the logic behind establishing power generation projects that relied on imported coal and criticized the PML-N\u2019s decision to place these projects far from the coastline, incurring significant transportation costs that burdened the national budget. He also criticized the PTI\u2019s failure to address the issue of costly electricity generation in the private sector.
\nHaq demanded a reduction in electricity tariffs and stressed that caretaker governments should not have the authority to raise tariffs. Instead, he insisted that caretaker administrations should shift their focus from sending high bills to consumers to addressing the billions lost due to line losses and power theft, as well as recovering funds from both private and government sectors. He highlighted that electricity bills consisted of a substantial 48 per cent in taxes and noted that Pakistan produced significantly more expensive electricity than the entire South Asian region.
\nThe JI chief announced that the JI would stage a protest in front of the Karachi Governor\u2019s House against inflation. The JI, he added, had staged sit-ins in front of governor houses in Peshawar, Lahore, and Quetta, as well as protest demonstrations in Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi. He reaffirmed the party\u2019s commitment to continue its struggle until the rights of the people were duly addressed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Siraj-ul-Haq has called for a forensic audit of Independent Power Producers (IPPs), asserting that the government must either renegotiate the agreements with the owners or escalate the matter to international courts should any legal issues obstruct local-level settlements. Speaking at a press conference held at Mansoorah on Wednesday, he also urged the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353621,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-358690","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n