Chairman WAPDA Lieutenant General Muzammil Hussain called on the federal minister for Planning, Development & Reform Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiyar

Dated : 24 August 2018

Chairman WAPDA Lieutenant General ® Muzammil Hussain called on the federal minister for Planning, Development & Reform Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiyar in his office on Friday 24 August 2018. Chairman WAPDA briefed the minister for Planning, Development & Reform on the ongoing projects related to energy, power and water resources. Meanwhile, the meeting discussed government’s priorities, availability of funds, status of releases and future demands of in the water, power and energy sectors. Chairman WAPDA Mr. Muzammil Hussain informed the minister about the progress of ongoing water projects in across the projects including Diamer Bhasha, Kurram Tangi, Dasu, Mohmind, Reni canal, Kachi canal and nerlong dams updating him about the current status of the water reservoirs. Talking on the occasion, the federal minister for Planning, Development & Reform Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiyar maintained that the government fully aware of the challenges in water, power and energy sectors and it was ready to provide all resources for the timely completion of all the ongoing projects. Meanwhile, the minister stated that the government was planning to take initiatives for the permanent solution of water scarcity and energy crisis. “We are ready to make leaps and bound progress on all fronts engaging all stakeholders to make the country self-reliant as envisioned by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan”, said Khusro Bakhtiyar. He further said, “Government is determined to coup with the challenge of water scarcity and meet energy needs of the country on sustainable basis through coordinated efforts and well thought-out policy devised in collaboration of the experts and stakeholders. Experts in the government sector need to formulate policies, which make the country self-sufficient in energy sector and rid the country of the water crises. In the case otherwise, challenge of the food shortage will become grave”. The minister said that experts in the government and private sectors should advise on adopting alternate sources of the energy to create sustainable conditions in this sector. “For the purpose to completely wipe out the challenge of food shortage, promotion of agriculture sector and improvise the economy bringing the country on par with the developing countries, we need to work on short-term and long term plans in energy and water sectors”, said Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiyar, minister for Planning. The Minister for Planning urged to fast track the ongoing projects in the water and energy sector and wowed to provide all necessary resources for their timely completion following international quality standards. He further directed that the government institutions were needed to address the issues of capacity and human development that needed special focus, failing which would mean compromise on the quality which was not at all an option for a country like Pakistan.