Islamabad, August 02, 2022 (PPI-OT):Meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Power was held here at Parliament House with Senator Saifullah Abro in the Chair. The meeting commenced with discussing the current status on the implementation of recommendations made by the committee in the previous meetings. The Chairman Committee, Senator Saifullah Abro expressed resentment on the absence of Federal Minister for Energy and Secretary, Power Division and decided to summoned Secretary, Power Division in the next Committee meeting.

While deliberating the implementation status on the issue of load shedding and low voltage of electricity in Samarbagh and Jandool of Dir District. The Additional Secretary of Power Division, Mr. Arshad Mehmood apprised the committee that the load shedding in aforementioned areas has been reduced to 4 hours and 2 hours respectively and 132 KV Grid Station Munda has also been established to reduce the issue of low voltage in the area, which will be completed by the end of August of 2022.

However, Senator Fida Muhammad raised the matter of illegal appointment of Mr. Ali Zain Banatwala as Deputy Managing Director (SO), NTDC. He told the Committee that the prior to recent appointment, Ali Zain Banatwala was serving as Consultant in NTDC and currently receiving Rs. 18 lacs and thirty thousand Salary per month. . He further added that age relaxation was reduced from 58 to 56 years for honouring appointment to the former. Senator Saifullah Abro directed the Power Division to terminate Ali Zain Banatwala as Deputy MD of NTDC and recover all the vested money in him.

Meanwhile, the Committee also took stern notice of recent increase in fee of Members of Board of Directors (BoDs) from Rs. 35 to 60 thousand. Senator Saifullah Abro recommended the power division to revert the fee and recover all the amount from Board of Directors, which has been paid in the last few months.

Additionally, the Committee discussed the matter of shifting of head office of NTDC in Islamabad. The Deputy MD of NTDC informed that head office consists of two floors and however one floor has been completed and the other is still under construction, which will be completed in the next few months.

Furthermore, the Chairman Committee demanded details of official visits taken by CEO of K-Electric other officials in last one year. He also demanded an update on the status of renewal of agreement between the Government of Pakistan and K-Electric. He maintained that K-Electric is not private entity and Government of Pakistan still owns 24 p.c. share in it and therefore, Committee has right to probe the matter.

Moreover, the Chairman Committee also showed displeasure over the non-implementation of recommendations of the Committee and directed Power Division to implement them within two weeks’ time. The meeting was attended by Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Syed Shibli Faraz, Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee, Senator Sana Jamali, Senator Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, Additional Secretary Power Division Arshad Mehmood, Chairman NEPRA Tauseef H. Farooqi, and all concerned CEOs of DISCOs as well.

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