57 per cent people in Pakistan favour import of electricity from arch rival and nuclear foe India.

Islamabad, July 23/Nationalturk – With Pakistan facing acute power crisis, 57 per cent people in the country favour import of electricity from arch rival and nuclear foe India.

Gallup and Pakistan’s Geo news group conducted survey on energy crisis in all the four provinces of Pakistan from July 8-10.

During the survey, 57 percent people favoured purchasing of 100 MWs electricity from India to reduce power crisis in the country. “However, 12 percent people opposed the idea while 9 percent opposed to some extent. About 14 percent people remained impartial and 8 percent did not reply,” Pakistan’s newspaper The News reported.

According to survey 46 percent people were of the opinion that it is difficult to end prevailing energy crisis in Pakistan in next three years. “26 percent termed it impossible. However, 24 percent hoped the crisis would end and 4 percent did not reply”.

Due to power crisis, people in Pakistan have to face about 18 hours load shelling in this scorching summer heat. There have been many protest demonstrations across the country over the load shedding.

‘Electricity worth Rs 220 bn lost, Rs90 bn stolen in one year’

The News newspaper quoting an official document reported that 15 billion units of electricity in Pakistan costing over Rs220 billion were lost in last financial year out of which at least 25-40 percent is considered to be outright theft causing a colossal loss of Rs90 billion.

In view of high electricity lost and thefts, newly elected government of Nawaz Sharif is mulling to impose heavy fines on those, who will be found involved in gas theft or meter tampering. “People, who would help nab the people involved in stealing gas would be awarded with two percent of the recovered amount”.

The government is planning to establish the Gas Utility Courts for recovery of damages of gas. The Gas Utility Courts will be having the powers to extend the punishment of 2-3 years imprisonment with penalty in the range of Rs3 million to Rs10 million.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News

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