ISLAMABAD, FEB 10 /DNA/ – Business leader and former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt, said on Monday that one of the largest obstacles to fixing the energy situation is the captive power lobby.
The energy crisis continues to devastate the economy. Still, he said, the highly influential lobby of the owners of Captive Power Plants (CPPs) received gas at incredibly low prices.
He said that this powerful lobby had wasted natural gas worth trillions of rupees for their profit unless it came under the radar of the IMF.
Shahid Rasheed Butt said in a statement issued here today that many governments have tried to tame this powerful group but failed due to its influence in the corridors of power.
The business leader said the captive power lobby is so influential that they never pay attention to institutions like OGRA and NEPRA.
Those who were getting natural gas at unprecedented discounted rates were being patronized despite the opposition of the Planning Commission, which has sent packing many top officials who were against this corruption.
The energy bureaucracy has always been terrified of raising objections despite the open violation of rules and regulations. However, the situation is still changing due to the pressure of the IMF.
In the past, the gas provision priority list was frequently changed to please this lobby without the consent of concerned institutions, including the Council of Common Interests.
Gas load management policy indicates that masses are at the top of the priority list while CPPs are at the bottom, which some former governments violated.
Laws indicate the terms and conditions of providing gas to captive power plants, frequently violated as the authorities remain silent spectators.
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