During a meeting between the delegation of Balochistan Zamindar Action Committee and Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, CEO QESCO assured immediate restoration of power supply to agricultural tube wells and six hours power supply while Zamindar Action Committee announced withdrawal of agitation call against QESCO. The meeting was also attended by Provincial Minister for Agriculture Zamrak Khan Achakzai, Members of Provincial Assembly Mir Naseer Shahwani, Mir Zabid Reiki, Secretary Energy Department, Chief Executive QESCO and other concerned officials. On the occasion, a committee headed by Provincial Agriculture Minister Zamrak Khan Achakzai comprising representatives of Zamindar Action Committee, Secretary Energy Department, CEO QESCO and other concerned officials was formed to restore trust between the landlords and QESCO. The committee will make recommendations on payment of bills for agricultural tube wells and QESCO’s dues, installation of electricity meters, transfer of agricultural tube wells to solar energy and other related matters. The first meeting of the committee will be held on Friday, September 4. Delegation of agriculturalists ,QESCO officials and the energy department presented their views on power supply to agricultural tube wells, payment of bills and QESCO obligations. On the occasion the Cheif minister has said that the power crisis in Balochistan is sensitive and serious which cannot be understood sitting in Islamabad. He said that the trust between QESCO and the agriculturists has to be restored. Rehabilitation and steps need to be taken by both sides, power outages and protests are not the solution to the problem, the Chief Minister said, adding that governments do not see their advantage and disadvantage but make plans according to the convenience of the people. The Chief Minister said that Balochistan is a vast province where there is a lack of communication facilities which is detrimental to the agriculturists, mine owners and common man. He said that the main source of livelihood of Balochistan is agriculture and livestock. However, the lack of electricity and communication facilities is a great hurdle in development. The Chief Minister emphasized the need to improve the current situation, resolve the long standing issues related to QESCO and restore full confidence between the agriculturists and QESCO in the first two months of the full voltage to Casco agricultural tube wells. With the provision of six to ten hours of electricity, installation of meters on agricultural tube wells and regular payment of bills by the agriculturists, after which the positive results of continuing this process on a permanent basis will come to light, the Chief Minister said. He said that the provincial government would play its role in resolving the issue between the landlords and Qesco, adding that talks would be held with federal ministers Asad Umar and Umar Ayub to improve the voltage and maintain power supply to the agricultural sector. It will review the launch of a project to convert agricultural tube wells to solar energy, while the federal government will also be contacted for immediate implementation of the project.
