Water shortage looming, warns Khawaja Asif

Published February 10, 2015
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif — Reuters/file
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif — Reuters/file

LAHORE: Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif on Tuesday warned that although the electricity shortage in the country would be overcome soon, the scarcity of water is another issue looming in the country.

Addressing a seminar in the provincial capital city of Punjab, Asif said that loadshedding would end within two to three years in the country.

He said that water shortage was imminent and that efforts needed to be made to resolve it right away.

The federal minister said that land for construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam is being acquired on the same rate as land in Islamabad. He further said that future generations will benefit from electricity generated through dams.

Asif mentioned that the government is focusing on energy projects which will enable more electricity generation, said a report published on Radio Pakistan.

The projects will be completed within the next two to three years, he added.

Also read: Fuel, power shortage looms as oil stocks plummet

Last month, filling stations and power plants had started drying up as petrol and furnace oil stocks plummeted to dangerous levels mainly because of chronic circular debt coupled with falling oil prices, affecting private transport and an increase in load-shedding.

Consequently, power loadshedding had also increased to more than 12 hours in major cities like Rawalpindi, Lahore and Multan.

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