News Desk

Peshawar : Adviser to the KP Government on Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination, Muzammil Aslam, has claimed that the Shehbaz Sharif-led federal government has effectively charged its own coalition partners with major failures, labeling them as significant defaulters in the power sector.

Speaking to the media, Aslam refuted claims that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is responsible for the highest electricity theft in the country, stating that the situation is entirely different. He revealed that KP’s electricity arrears stand at only Rs. 8.8 billion, compared to Rs. 60 billion for Sindh, Rs. 40 billion for Balochistan, and Rs. 38 billion for Punjab.

“This is a damning charge sheet against Punjab and Sindh, particularly Punjab’s so-called ‘TikTok government,’ which has failed on every front of good governance,” Aslam remarked.

The Adviser highlighted that the KP government recognizes its obligations and has assured the PESCO (Peshawar Electric Supply Company) authorities of its commitment to resolving arrears. However, he pointed out that the federal government owes KP Rs. 36 billion in electricity payments for this year alone, with additional arrears from previous years still pending.

Muzammil Aslam criticized the federal government for its inability to address the situation, adding that KP is willing to negotiate but other provinces must first settle their dues with the federal government. “Even if the federal government clears its arrears with KP after recovering funds from other provinces, outstanding payments to KP will still remain,” he said.

Aslam concluded by holding Punjab and Sindh primarily responsible for the country’s electricity arrears crisis, calling on the federal government to resolve the issue in a fair and transparent manner.