ISLAMABAD, July 24, 2025: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Economic Affairs Division (EAD), chaired by MNA Muhammad Atif, raised serious concerns on Wednesday over the government’s plan to privatise profitable power distribution companies (Discos), including Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco), and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco).
Lawmakers questioned the rationale behind targeting well-performing Discos with minimal transmission and distribution losses for privatisation. They also expressed alarm over the country’s power surplus—estimated at 7,000–8,000 MW—causing financial strain on the national budget due to capacity payments for unutilized electricity.
The Power Division reported Pakistan’s total installed generation capacity at 39,952 MW, with a heavy reliance on fossil fuels (54%), while clean energy contributes 46%—a mix the committee deemed unsustainable.
The committee also criticized the absence of National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman and Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan amid inquiries into irregularities surrounding the Rs170 billion Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (Carec) Tranche-III project. The issue was deferred until the next session.
Additionally, lawmakers voiced dissatisfaction with federal development budget allocations, particularly for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Rs30.84 billion) compared to Balochistan (Rs209.6 billion), Punjab (Rs76.6 billion), and Sindh (Rs145.9 billion).
The committee was also briefed on the EAD’s proposed ‘Foreign Contributions (NGOs and NPOs) Regulation Act, 2025’, intended to strengthen oversight of foreign-funded organizations.
Story by Syed Irfan Raza
