MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has ordered restoration of all tubewell connections in Balochistan disconnected due to non-payment of bills.

According to Additional Secretary In-charge Ministry of Water and Power has issued directives to Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) management in this connection. Senior government functionaries in the Federal and Balochistan governments will meet soon to finalise the modalities for recovery of arrears and payment of the current bills. Informed sources told Business Recorder that outstanding dues of tubewells in Balochistan had touched Rs 8.2 billion but both the federal and provincial governments were not paying bills since long.

Ministry of Water and Power took up this issue at different forums but nothing has been done on this account. The sources said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presided over a couple of meetings on energy sector and directed the Ministry of Water and Power to take necessary measures to collect outstanding amount due from agriculture tubewells in Balochistan.