ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is poised to emerge as a competitive energy supplier in the region by next year, Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari announced during a National Assembly session on Thursday.
Highlighting recent progress in the power sector, the minister said electricity prices have been slashed by 20% for domestic consumers and farmers, and by 31% for industries. He also revealed that the country has a surplus capacity of 7,000 megawatts, sufficient for the next three years. Ongoing negotiations with development partners aim to further reduce industrial electricity tariffs, he added.
Responding to concerns about Pakistan’s global standing, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhary stated that the country’s international image has improved significantly due to its firm response to Indian aggression. He also pledged further efforts to enhance the global ranking of the Pakistani passport and lauded record-breaking remittances from overseas Pakistanis.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights Saba Sadiq informed the house that the appointment of a new Chairperson for the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) would be made soon. She reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to promoting and protecting women’s rights, particularly for vulnerable groups, in coordination with federal, provincial, and regional stakeholders.
In infrastructure development, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized the strategic importance of the Sukkur-Hyderabad-Karachi Motorway, calling it vital for Pakistan’s economic future. He assured the assembly that the project will be prioritized in the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and will be executed through foreign funding or government allocations within this year.
