Law ministry delayed Punjab power projects for bribe: Shahbaz Sharif

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has demanded strict action should be taken against those involved in increasing the crises of power, and pushing Punjab into darkness due to negligence and corruption in 900MW power projects in the province.
“Criminal negligence has been demonstrated in the power projects of 450MW each in Nandipur and Chicho Ki Malian, which is a deep conspiracy against Punjab and Pakistan. Due to delay in these projects, most areas of Punjab remained in darkness and industries were closed and now the nation has to bear additional expenses of Rs 20 billion on these projects,” he said, while requesting the prime minister to take those persons to task causing delay in these projects and deterrent punishment should be awarded to the criminals of the nation and should be hanged.
He was talking to mediamen here on Saturday on his return to Lahore from the Council of Common Interests meeting held in Islamabad the same day. Senior Advisor to him Sirdar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa was also present on the occasion.
Shahbaz Sharif warned that if action was not taken against these criminals of the nation, then he would be forced to raise voice at any forum against them.
While giving details about the projects, he said the power project of 450MW in Nandipur had to be completed a year ago and the machinery of this project worth billions of rupees was lying in the godowns of Karachi on which heavy demurrage was being paid. He mentioned that this project was being executed by Chinese company and it should have become operational in the beginning of this year but unfortunately it could not be made operational. “The file of this project remained pending in the law ministry for the last about two years and the desired letter could not be issued by the finance ministry due to bribe. The same situation is of the 450MW project of Chicho Ki Malian. This project had to be completed next year but this project has also been delayed for further two years due to criminal negligence. These projects remained pending due to the hurdles created by law ministry, and had these projects been completed within stipulated time, the Punjab would have got substantial relief from load-shedding,” he observed, adding that Punjab was made a target through delaying these projects due to which factories were closed and irreparable loss was caused to exports. “Not only huge loss was caused to the industrial and agriculture sectors due to the delay in these projects but lakhs of people were also deprived of their livelihood. Whom people of Punjab should hold accountable for this economic murder?” he questioned.
Shahbaz Sharif was of the considered opinion that investors and industrialists were transferring their capital and the country was being pushed into darkness under a conspiracy, which was a heinous crime. “The nation is in need of every watt of electricity whereas plundering and corruption is rampant in the country. A conspiracy has been hatched against agriculture, industry, 180million people of Pakistan, and 100m people of Punjab by delaying power projects of Nandipur and Chicho Ki Malian,” he said, while mentioning that he had always talked to the prime minister about these projects, and on Saturday succeeded in getting the approval of these projects in the CCI meeting. “Now the country will have to bear the additional expenses of billions of rupees due to delay in these projects and it is impossible to pay the cost of negative impacts caused to the economy of the country. Who should be held responsible for these losses of billions of rupees, and the criminal negligence?” he quizzed.
He demanded strict action against those who caused this loss to the nation and the country as such persons were criminals of the nation and those should be hanged trying to ruin the country. “If action was not taken against these criminals of the nation, we will raise voice at every forum and expose them and recover the looted money of the nation from them,” he reiterated.
During the press conference, Shahbaz Sharif did not reply a question about Shahbaz Taseer’s abduction, and said, he would talk about the subject at some other time. However, as per sources, he held a meeting with senior cops at the lounge of the Old Airport who were waiting for him prior to his arrival.