ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar has said that load shedding across the country will end by March 2018 when the present government will complete its five-year tenure.
In his address at a seminar in Islamabad on Tuesday, the minister said that that the incumbent Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government will add 10600 megawatt of electricity to the national grid during its tenure.
The finance minister said that several short and long term power projects have been launched to overcome the electricity crisis. He said that work on Dasu and Diamer Basha dams have been started simultaneously.
Projects being considered to meet water challenges, Senate informed
Separately, the Senate was informed on Tuesday that the government is considering a number of projects including Drawar Dam, Nai Gaj Dam, Kurram Tangi Dam, Naulong Dam and Diamir-Bhasha Dam to get the country out of energy crises.
In reply to a question in the Upper House, the Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed hope that energy crises will be fully resolved in next couple of years.
The minister said that a number of projects are ready for implementation which will eventually help resolve energy as well as water issues.
Khawaja Asif told the House that the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has prepared a comprehensive plan to tap water during high flow season and utilize it during lean season for agriculture and generation of electricity.
The House was further informed that under a scheme small dams are being constructed in Balochistan and in rain fed areas of Punjab.
