LAHORE, Sept 10: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif says although it is the responsibility of the federal government to resolve energy crisis, the Punjab government is trying its best to seek cooperation from the Centre for solving the issue of national importance.

According to a handout issued here on Monday, the chief minister said big hydropower plants and other energy projects fell within the purview of the federal government, but the energy crisis had not only badly affected the national economy but also made the lives of the people miserable.

He said in view of the gravity of the situation, the Punjab government was making strenuous efforts for seeking cooperation from the federal government to resolve the energy crisis as no headway could be made without its help.

The chief minister suggested that project committees should be constituted for resolving energy crisis, stressing that the private sector should also come forward to solve the crisis on a permanent basis.

He said the Punjab government was pursuing a comprehensive programme for solving the energy problem and a separate energy department had also been established for this purpose.