ISLAMABAD, Dec 28 (APP):Minister for Defence Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Wednesday said the closure timings of markets and businesses would be decided in consensus with traders’ associations and other stakeholders for an effective implementation of the national energy austerity drive.
He was addressing a consultative meeting of representatives of the All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajran (APAT).
Federal Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir Khan, Federal Minister for Housing and Works Maulana Abdul Wasay, Minister for State for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haq, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ayaz Sadiq and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb also attended the meeting.
Khawaja Asif said the government had a vision to ensure energy conservation through less consumption in the commercial sector.
The initiative, he said, would help relieve the burden on the foreign reserves that were spent for the import of oil and gas to ensure power production. The country could no more afford the import bill of fossil fuels, which was 20 percent of the total imports expenditure of $80 billion a year, he added.
Pakistan, he said, was blessed with sunshine all 365 days of a year, which could be utilized to generate cost-effective and eco-friendly energy.
APAT Chairman Muhammad Naeem Mir, President Ajmal Baloch and others presented their recommendations for the implementation of the government’s proposal to close markets at 8 p.m., and dining halls and restaurants at 10 p.m.
Secretary Power Division Rashid Mahmood Langrial briefed the meeting on the national energy austerity drive, which was by an extensive discussion with the traders’ representatives.
