The Senate was informed on Friday that circular debt has been reduced by 214 billion rupees by making payments to the power plants over the last three months.
Minister for Power Khurram Dastgir assured the house during question hour that the circular debt will be further reduced which was standing at the historic level of 2467 billion rupees on 31st March this year.
The Minister for Power said steps are being taken to improve recoveries and reduction of transmission and distribution losses of DISCOs.
To a supplementary question, Khurram Dastgir said one thousand megawatts of electricity is being provided to the K-electric on daily basis in order to lessen the difficulties of the people of Karachi. He said we are in negotiations with K-electric to reach a new agreement with it. He was confident that the matters will be settled with the K-electric in a few weeks.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahadat Awan said about twenty percent work on Mohmand Agency has been completed. He said ninety percent land for the dam has been acquired as per the law and expressed the confidence that it will be completed within the stipulated period by 2026.
Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik has said instructions have been issued to the authorities concerned to reduce gas losses. He pointed out that Unaccounted For Gas (UFG) in Balochistan and Sindh is fifteen percent and that in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa eight percent. He said the gas reserves are depleting by ten percent every year.
Responding to a calling attention notice, Minister of State for Finance Aisha Ghaus Pasha said the rupee has strengthened over the last three days as a result of measures taken by the present government. She said we have compressed imports especially that of non-essential and luxury items. She said we are taking the economy towards improvement.
The Minister of State said the PTI government left behind an all-time high budget deficit. He said we have controlled the situation by increasing tax revenues.
The Senate today passed a resolution paying glowing tributes to founding Father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah for his historic role in the creation of Pakistan.
The resolution moved by Sana Jamali on the eve of 75th Independence Day urged reaffirmation to the ideals of a progressive, Islamic and democratic Pakistan.
The House has now been prorogued.
Source: Radio Pakistan