Coming out of elections held under fears of terrorist attacks and preparing to take charge of a failing economy, Mian Nawaz Sharif’s core plan, according to his close aides, is to strengthen relations with long-standing friends, the United States, China and Saudi Arabia, resolve differences with India and Afghanistan and ensure democratic oversight of the foreign policy.

In his conversations with world leaders who had called him to congratulate on the victory of his party in the elections and in meetings with foreign envoys in Raiwind, Mr Sharif’s emphasis was on economic cooperation, trade and investment.

He is likely to carry the same message to his first international engagement – a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang who is scheduled to visit Pakistan on May 23, days before he gets formally elected as prime minister, and on his probable visit to Riyadh which is also likely to take place before his inauguration.

His statements on the US, Afghanistan and India have been particularly seen as reassuring by the diplomatic community, which had initially looked wary because of his centre-right disposition.

Experts, therefore, don’t see any fundamental shift in the foreign policy operation, although the PML-N manifesto says it is committed to a thorough and comprehensive review of the security and foreign policies because Pakistan is “at war within, while isolated abroad and its independence and sovereignty compromised”.

A senior Pakistani diplomat said the country’s foreign policy was based “on national consensus and people’s aspirations” and expressed the hope that national interest would take precedence instead of domestic political considerations and related rhetoric.

Therefore, it is expected that there may be a slight shift in nuances and emphasis to cater for the new government’s priorities, but the overall outlook of the policy may remain unaltered.

Former foreign secretary Shamshad Ahmed agrees that there is no foreign policy problem as such. Rather all problems being confronted by the country on the external front are mere extension of domestic failures rooted in bad governance. He said solutions were at home and not in Riyadh, London or Washington.

Renowned journalist Zahid Hussain doesn’t see any significant change either. “Socially, he (Mr Sharif) may look conservative and right of centre, but at the same time he represents the business class and in his last two tenures he fully cooperated with the US.”

Therefore, he said, economy and countering militancy and extremism should be Mr Sharif’s top priorities. “Other challenges are secondary.”

A Western diplomat, however, had a different opinion about US relations with the PML-N government. He said there were still misgivings in Washington and very few people had forgotten that the PML-N during its last tenure in Punjab had restricted the use of US aid.

Punjab government officials had been stopped from attending training programmes in the US, he recalled, adding that because of impending withdrawal from Afghanistan the US had no other option but to work with Mr Sharif.

Senator Mushahid Hussain, Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production, would, however, like to evaluate Mr Sharif from a different angle.

Mr Hussain is waiting to see whether or not Mr Sharif continues with regional approach of the PPP government, including reset of ties with Russia, Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, independent policy on Syrian crisis and the position the PML-N government would take on Gwadar Port.

“Do these initiatives continue or Mr Sharif succumbs to pressure,” Mr Hussain asks.

There are rumours that Mr Sharif has suggested to Saudi Arabia that he may be open to reviewing the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline and the position on Syria.

Mr Sharif is known for his close association with Saudi royal family. Riyadh, which over the past five years had lukewarm relations with the PPP government, may now help Pakistan in dealing with the energy crisis.

On China, former ambassador Hussain Haqqani says Beijing will keep its low profile, but high value engagement with Pakistan and Mr Sharif is certainly not going to disrupt it.

During his conversation with the Indian prime minister, Mr Sharif had expressed his commitment to working for improving bilateral ties. But, it’s clear to him, and his foreign policy aides, that no major breakthroughs are expected, particularly because of elections in India due next year.

Afghanistan is yet another difficult task that the PML-N government will have to deal with.

Shah is a retired government servant.

The family has lodged an FIR with the F.B. Industrial Area police.

— File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has notified an increase in electricity tariff by up to Rs1.55 per unit for all distribution companies of Wapda.

Through a series of orders, the regulator notified tariff adjustments under the monthly fuel mechanism for eight months starting from August 2012 to March 2013 and put in place a mechanism for recovery of these adjustments from consumers in five months, starting in June 2013 to October 2013.

The tariff adjustments will not apply to lifeline consumers using less than 50 units a month and the consumers of Karachi Electric Supply Company.

The tariff adjustments had earlier been restrained by the Lahore and Islamabad High Courts.

Now with the end of the stay orders, Nepra has issued the notifications to enable Wapda’s power distribution companies to start recovering revised tariffs from consumers.

Under the notifications, the average tariff for the distribution companies had been reduced by 5 paisa per unit for the month of August 2012 and increased by 5 paisa per unit for September and 4 paisa per unit for October. This will be followed by 91 paisa per unit increase for November.

The cumulative impact of the adjustments for the four months (August-November 2012) translates into an increase of 94 paisa per unit. Nepra ordered the distribution companies to recover this increase from consumers from June this year.

For the month of December 2012, the regulator determined an increase of Rs1.33 per unit over the average base tariff and ordered the companies to recover it in the billing month of July 2013.

Nepra also notified an increase of Rs1.55 per unit in the average sale rates for the month of January this year and its recovery from August. Another 64 paisa per unit increase in electricity rates worked out for February will be recovered in the billing month of September this year while an increase of Rs1.33 per unit for March 2013 will be recovered from consumers in October this year.

Under the monthly fuel adjustment mechanism, Nepra is required to pass on the impact of variation in cost of power generation arising out of market based changes in the fuel prices including the cost of fuel mix.

The Islamabad High Court had in October 2014 declared the application of fuel charges adjustment as unlawful and hence the recovery of Nepra-determined fuel adjustment could not be implemented. Through an intra-court appeal, a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court had suspended the single-member bench of the same court.

In separate petitions, the Lahore High Court had also maintained the decision of Nepra in respect of fuel price adjustment but directed that residential consumers consuming 350 units would be exempt from the levy of fuel price adjustment.

The increase in tariff came at a time the country returned after a week of relief to widespread load-shedding that exceeded an average of 11 hours on the countrywide basis. Sources at the ministry of water and power said the ministry of finance and petroleum and natural resources had withdrawn special support they had extended to the power sector on the eve of elections.

According to sources, Mr Ashraf, who is one of the suspects in the case, reiterated his previous stance that he had done nothing wrong in awarding contacts to rental power companies as the minister for power and water in 2008.

The former prime minister was earlier summoned by NAB on Tuesday but he did not appear, citing medical grounds.

A senior official of NAB, who did not want to be named, said cross-questioning of Mr Ashraf continued for about two hours.

The name of former prime minister was put on the Exit Control List after media reports said that he had tried to leave the country along with members of his family.

Inside sources said NAB required Mr Ashraf’s statement to complete its investigation but when he was prime minister the bureau found it difficult to summon him.

Mr Ashraf has been accused of having received kickbacks and commission in the RPP deal when he headed ministry of water and power.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Mohammad Noor Meskanzai said it would be inappropriate for the court in its constitutional jurisdiction to interfere in discretionary powers of the ECP unless the commission had acted illegally.

The petition was filed by Maulvi Qamaruddin of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl. A report by the returning officer in Khuzdar and duly endorsed by the provincial election commissioner had directed re-polling at polling stations No 142 and 143 on May 21.

Counsel for the petitioner, Kamran Murtaza, pleaded that there was no justification for re-polling because Maulvi Qamaruddin had secured 25,476 votes against his closest rival Mir Rauf Mengal of the Balochistan National Party-Mengal who had bagged 24,990 votes.

The court observed that the result could be changed after re-polling because there was a difference of only 486 votes between the votes secured by Maulvi Qamaruddin and Mr Mengal.

Talking to journalists after a meeting with US Ambassador Richard Olson here on Friday, the maulana said that divergence of opinion between Pakistan and the US on issues like drone attacks, sovereignty and terrorism should be narrowed by holding more dialogue and with understanding.

“Pakistan is an important ally of the US and can play significant role in maintaining peace and stability in the region,” the JUI chief said.

He said it was a bilateral process, adding that positions of all sides must be respected.

He said the US ambassador’s visit was a courtesy call and during the meeting general issues relating to the region and relations between the two countries were discussed.  Maulana Fazl said he informed the US ambassador that Pakistan had supported political reconciliation in Afghanistan as peace and stability would directly contribute to peace and stability in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the JUI-F said that Mr Olson congratulated Maulana Fazl on his party’s electoral success in the national and provincial assemblies’ constituencies.

The US ambassador is currently holding a series of meetings with politicians who will be having a say in the upcoming government.

During the meeting, the ambassador underscored the US commitment to a strong bilateral relationship with Pakistan based on respect and mutual interest.

“The US has been supporting a more stable, secure and prosperous future for the people of Pakistan,” Mr Olson told the JUI-F chief.

Engineer Zamarak Khan Piralizai, who was elected from PB-12 Qila Abdullah-II in the May 11 elections, announced at a press conference on Friday his unconditional support for PML-N provincial chief Sardar Sanaullah Zehri in the latter’s attempt to become the chief minister.

However, the ANP’s central executive committee contacted Mr Piralizai and informed him about the decision of the party that he would sit on opposition benches in the provincial assembly.

ANP’s central information secretary Senator Zahid Khan confirmed that Mr Piralizai had been informed about the party’s decision.

Mr Piralizai was minister for revenue in the Raisani-led coalition government in the province.

Addressing at a press conference here on Friday, he said he had been contacted by PML-N leaders Sanaullah Zehri and Changez Marri.

According to him, Maulana Abdul Wasey has been appointed JUI-F’s parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly and the head of the four-member committee which will hold talks with other parties on formation of a coalition government in Balochistan. Other members of the committee are: Mufti Abdul Sattar, Maulana Manzoor Mengal and Senator Hafiz Hamdullah. He said that any party had the constitutional and democratic right to form government if it proved majority support in the assembly.

He showed two books of ballot papers which, according to him, proved the rigging had been carried out to defeat JUI-F candidates in the province. He said the ballot papers used for rigging in PB-2, Quetta-2 and PB-6, Quetta-6 constituencies, were found in garbage dump and were not handed over to the authorities concerned. He demanded re-polling in the constituencies.

He alleged that Pakistan Awami Tehrik leader Tahirul Qadri had been brought to Pakistan to hold a long march to sabotage general elections. Later, he said, threats were hurled by Taliban and other militant organisations to prevent the election process. It was a good omen, he added, that elections had been held.

Sources said that PML-N leaders of Balochistan chapter, including the provincial chief Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, Abdul Qadir Baloch, Nawabzada Jangez Marri, Sardar Yaqoob Nasar, Mir Jan Mohammad Jamali and Sardar Saleh Bhootani, will be leaving for Lahore on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Sardar Zehri was appointed parliamentary leader of the PML-N in the Balochistan Assembly.

A meeting of the parliamentary group of PML-N Balochistan was held on Friday during which former deputy chairman Senate Jan Mohammad Jamali suggested the name of Sardar Zehri for the office of the party’s parliamentary leader in the Balochistan Assembly. Other PML-N leaders endorsed the proposal.—Staff Correspondent

The 30-year-old was told by her employer not to come to work from tomorrow. The reason: for the last few days she was arriving at the house very late – by 12 noon. “I have to fetch water from a nearby tubewell as due to the massive loadshedding Dhoke Hassu, where I live, is without water. At the tubewell, there is always a long queue of people due to which I am unable to arrive at my workplace on time,” she said.

But her employer refused to buy the excuse. “We are also suffering from power outages and it is becoming difficult to wash clothes and the house without water. The water motors cannot run without electricity. We have only one hour from 10am to 11am to complete the household chores and at that time the maid is not available,” said Mrs Tariq Malik, the owner of the house where Samina worked.

The housemaid tried to get work in the same locality but most of the people asked her to come when there is electricity available.

“The new government should resolve the electricity crisis otherwise it will be difficult for the poor to eke out a living and run their household budgets,” she said.

Samina is among thousands of people suffering from the massive electricity loadshedding in the garrison city, especially after the start of the summer season.

But on Thursday and Friday, the residents suffered a lot after the May 11 elections when the Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco) conducted loadshedding for four hours after a break of every half an hour.

As the mercury touched 40 degrees Celsius, unavailability of electricity added to the miseries of the residents.

The loadshedding duration in the residential areas has increased to 18 hours daily whereas in the commercial areas it is only eight hours.

The most affected localities were Pirwadhai, Allahabad, Chur Chowk, Westridge, Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Mangtal, railway colonies, Dhoke Ratta, Yousuf Colony, Chaklala, Defence Housing Scheme-II, Asghar Mall and Sadiqabad.

On the other hand, in Saddar, Tench Bhatta, Peshawar Road, Raja Bazaar, Moti Bazaar, Commercial Market in Satellite Town and Chaklala Scheme-III, there is eight hours loadshedding.

“Iesco’s priority is to supply electricity to businessmen as they launch protests against the company. It is difficult for the citizens to protest against the unequal distribution of electricity,” said Mohammad Farooq, a resident of Westridge.

“We are paying Rs3,000 monthly bill despite the low consumption of electricity. It disturbed our household budgets,” he said.

Saqib Raja, a resident of Pirwadhai, said his area suffered outages from 12 night to 2am, 3am to 5am, 6am to 8am, 9am to 11:30am, 12:30pm to 4:30pm, 6pm to 9pm 10pm to 11pm.
When the consumers approached Iesco complaint centre, they were told that it was forced loadshedding conducted by Pepco.

Anisur Rehman, a resident of Dhoke Ratta, said the people were already suffering a lot due to wrong policies of the government and the ongoing loadshedding. He said the new government would have to improve things otherwise it would also face the fate similar to the PPP government.

When contacted, Farmanullah Khan, the Iesco chief engineer, said there was a gap between supply and demand. “There’s an electricity shortfall of 600 megawatts per day in Rawalpindi alone, which has forced us to go for the unscheduled power cuts.”

Our Correspondent from Attock adds: The prolonged power outages have hit the citizens hard but the worst sufferers are students appearing in their intermediate examinations.

On Friday, the city saw power breakdown from 6am to 3pm. Just after one and half hour, there was again a breakdown.

Thousands of students appearing in the exams solved their papers without electricity from 9am to 12 noon in the severe humid and sultry weather. Even when they returned home, there was no light.

The board of intermediate and secondary education had charged the students heavy examination fees but it did not arrange any generator at the exam centres.

The prolonged outages, sometimes extending to 20 hours a day, have made the lives of the citizens miserable.

Some of the residents, including Fazal Karim, Malik Ayub and Fawad Khan, said the energy crisis had crippled the routine life.

As electricity is available only two hours in day and two hours in night time, the miseries of the citizens are aggravating.

Because of the power outages, the citizens are also facing severe water shortage.

When Iesco officials here were contacted, they passed the buck to the load management control centre in Islamabad.