ISLAMABAD: Cabinet on Tuesday decided to make the inquiry report regarding corruption in the power sector public, a few days after it was learned that the power sector was incurring a loss of Rs1 billion per day.
The minister Umar Ayub speaking to the media after the cabinet meeting stated that the commission will be tasked to complete its report within 90 days. He added that the commission will carry out a detailed investigation using forensics to come to its findings.
Umar stated that ensuring transparency in governance was the governments number one priority. He added that the report pointed out that the law was violated by those involved in the power sector.
The minister stated that the the federal cabinet has also decided to form an inquiry commission to investigate those accused of corruption in the power sector.
“Government institutions are also involved in corruption,” stated Umar. He added that the commission of inquiry is being formed under the law and the government will not forgive anyone who violated the law.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan stated the Cabinet approved the decision made by the Cabinet Committee for Power on April 20. She added that the cabinet also approved the amendments in the Ogra Ordinance.
Dr Awan shared that Prime Minister Imran Khan also approved the removal of the chairman of the competitive commission. She added that the cabinet also approved the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on law.
She shared that the cabinet has also decided that government employees will be asked to stay in their allotted houses for six months after retirement. She added that the cabinet also decided to formulate a single policy regarding government housing.
The inquiry committee, formed to probe the alleged minting of billions of rupees by Independent Power Plants (IPPs), had pointed out that the power sector is incurring a loss of Rs1bn per day.
The committee was formed on the orders of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Pakistanis being provided electricity at the most expensive rate in the region
The committee pointed out that Pakistanis were being provided electricity at the most expensive rate in the region. It said that private companies provided false oil statistics to secure better tariffs.
In accordance with the power policy of 1994, 16 private companies invested Rs50.80bn and to date, have earned a profit of Rs415bn. The committee further said that investors of these private companies paid 22 times the profit to their business partners.
The power generating companies portrayed they had used more oil to produce electricity when they had, in fact, made use of less oil. As per the inquiry committee’s findings, these companies earned an additional Rs64.22bn over the past nine years because of the oil figures they showed. By the same proportion, these companies will earn Rs145.23bn more in the future, said the inquiry committee.
In its recommendations, the inquiry committee called on the government to recover additional payments made to private power companies. It said that profit to these power companies should be paid in rupees instead of dollars.
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