ISLAMABAD – The government is preparing a relief package for power consumers affected by floods, officials informed a parliamentary panel on Wednesday. The plan is being finalized in consultation with the Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). According to officials, the package for power consumers is likely to be announced within the next 24 to 48 hours.
During a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Power, Secretary Power Division Fakhar Alam Irfan said that electricity companies in Sindh faced huge financial losses. Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO) recorded combined losses of Rs60 billion in the last fiscal year.
He noted that both companies will be handed over on long-term concessionary contracts, rather than being fully privatized. “They will remain in government ownership but will be managed under contract,” Fakhar Alam said. He added that their boards would soon be restructured with majority members from the private sector.
The secretary also confirmed that a special package for power consumers in flood-affected areas was being finalized. He said the relief would come soon, stressing that the government is committed to easing the burden on households.
The committee meeting also discussed unannounced power outages. Lawmakers questioned HESCO for resorting to blackouts beyond scheduled load-shedding hours. The company cited operational issues, but members expressed dissatisfaction and demanded accountability.
Fakhar Alam presented financial figures, revealing that the power sector suffered losses of Rs397 billion last year, against a target of Rs640 billion. For the current fiscal year, losses have been capped at Rs540 billion.
The Standing Committee also raised concerns about delays in development funds for Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) under SDG schemes. Officials from LESCO said funds had not been released, while the Power Division maintained that the money was already transferred and promised verification.
The relief package for power consumers is expected to provide temporary support while structural reforms are pursued to improve recoveries in the power sector.
In other news read more about: Colleges in Lahore Division’s flood-hit areas closed
