Uniform policy pursued to combat power pilferage: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Azam Nazeer Tarar said in the National Assembly on Tuesday that a comprehensive uniform policy is being implemented to address power pilferage nationwide.

Responding to Asad Qaiser, he highlighted that under this policy, increased load shedding is being applied to feeders with high levels of power theft.

He said that curbing power pilferage is crucial to mitigate the circular debt issue. He further mentioned that the government has initiated a campaign against power theft, resulting in the recovery of billions of rupees.

He said that significant progress has been made in border management at Chaman through new mechanisms. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to resolving issues faced by the people at the Chaman border, the official news agency reported.

He said that the public has elected representatives to advocate for their concerns and formulate solutions within the parliament.

He said that it is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders to address the public’s challenges.

The minister expressed the government’s determination to tackle issues affecting the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (PATA) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

He acknowledged the sacrifices made by these regions and announced that funds have been allocated to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for the development of areas affected by terrorism.

National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq announced plans to schedule a meeting with the finance minister to discuss the issues concerning PATA and FATA.

Former NA speaker Asad Qaiser highlighted that PATA and FATA have been granted tax exemptions to expedite development in these regions. He said that all political parties have agreed to prioritise development in areas affected by terrorism, with significant tax revenue already being collected from these regions.

Asad Qaiser proposed the formation of a special committee comprising representatives from all political parties to address the issues specific to these areas.

He also raised concerns over load shedding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and urged the federal government to address this pressing issue.