Sharifs responsible for energy crisis

KARACHI: The present energy crisis could be linked to perceived myopic policies of former premier and PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif when he ended the energy projects of Thar coal and Keti Bandar initiated by slain premier Benazir Bhutto, Sindh Minister for Information Sharjeel Inam Memon said on Monday. Speaking at a press conference at the New Sindh Secretariat, the minister responding to allegations of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that the then PPP-led government had started work for utilisation of the Thar coal reserves for power generation. He added that the myopic policies of subsequent government led by PML-N resulted in scrapping of the same, otherwise now the country would have been in a position to export power. After coming into power, the present government has revived the Thar coal project and has given preference to small power projects up to 10 megawatts in the country especially in Sindh to overcome the power crisis. He regretted that Sharif rothers tended to do politics on sensitive issues like rain devastation in Sindh province. Memon said that it was not easy task to provide relief of over eight million displaced persons but the government is utilising all available resources for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. The minister claimed that around 40-50pc accumulated rainwater in devastated districts have been drained out, enabling the farmers to sow Rabi (winter) crops like wheat. He said it was not advisable for the PML-N leadership to do politics over the rain destruction in Sindh. He also accused the Sharif brothers of committing corruption and earning money through illegal means. He claimed that the PML-N leaders had got billions of rupees loans written off by the banks while recently, Senator Ishaq Dar publicly admitted that money laundering was committed on instructions of Nawaz Sharif when he was prime minister. The Sindh minister also alleged that PML-N chief was speaking the language of the West against Pak Army after killing of al-Qaeda chief, Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011 in the US operation in Abbottabad. Memon said that Nawaz Sharif had forgotten that he himself was a product of ambitious military generals. He said that the Sharif brothers supported those military generals who perpetrated the dictatorship in the country.