PAT concerned over gas & power outages in country

An organizational review committee of Pakistan Awami Tehreek expressed its grave concern on loadshedding of gas and electricity and increase in prices of LPG. It said that the Chief Minister Punjab is responsible for loadshedding of gas and electricity in the province who signed on a dotted line when he put his signatures of Right at Source Formula during his last tenure and thus extinguished hearths of millions of people.

The meeting, which was attended by former Punjab Governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar, PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur, Raja Zahid, Jawad Hamid, Ahmad Nawaz Anjum, Shoiab Tahir and Ch. Mazhar Hussain, was held here at central secretariat on December 26 with Dr Raheeq Ahmad Abbasi in the chair.

The meeting demanded of the federal and provincial governments to control the escalating prices of LPG and asked the authorities of Punjab to take up the matter of the province’s due share in gas at the level of Council of Common Interests.

PAT President Dr Raheeq Abbasi strongly condemned the government-sponsored propaganda campaign against PAT and its leadership. He asked the rulers to stay away from such activities as doing so will hurt the environment of national unity. He said that paying the political workers into attending public meetings is a standard practice of the ruling party, not Pakistan Awami Tehreek. He said that PAT’s ideological workers have a history of rendering sacrifices for the sake of principles. He said that a woman by the name of Mamoona did not have relationship with PAT or MQI.

Speaking on the occasion, former Punjab Governor Ghulam Mustafa Khar said that the people of Punjab have been suffering mental torture for last one month due to gas shortage. He said that women and children have been going without food. He said that it is a matter of regret that what to speak of overcoming the crisis, the rulers have not even bothered to take immediate steps to reduce the intensity of the gas shortages. He said that if the rulers can control the licenses of LPG, why are they so helpless in containing its prices?

PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that the masses have become silent due to heart-rending Peshawar tragedy. He said that if the rulers tried to use this silence and reconciliation for their vested interests, it would have very serious ramifications. He said that the people are suffering horribly due to bad governance and worst power and gas outages are a living proof of this incompetence.