PM Shehbaz orders no more than two hours of loadshedding across country

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed that no area in Pakistan should endure more than two hours of power outages, according to a PMO statement. The premier convened a meeting on electricity load management, voicing dissatisfaction with the nationwide increase in loadshedding. Notable government officials including Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, and others were present.

The meeting learned that regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) supply had been impacted by the ongoing Middle East tensions and the Strait of Hormuz situation. Consequently, electricity generation decreased, prompting load management practices to balance demand and supply.

To counteract the RLNG supply disruption, Shehbaz directed immediate action. He emphasized the effective utilization of all resources to ensure no area experiences electricity load shedding beyond two hours. Additionally, the prime minister announced the formation of Consumer Grievance Redressal Committees at distribution company levels within a week. These committees would include public representatives to handle complaints concerning electricity transmission and power supply issues.

The US-Iran war, starting on February 28, has disrupted RLNG cargo deliveries from Qatar via the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the government purchased five expensive cargoes from the spot market in July, causing RLNG prices to surge by an unprecedented 242% in July, soaring to Rs47.4 per unit from under Rs14 in April.