ISLAMABAD, 09 JUNE, (DNA) – Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif says electricity loadshedding for domestic consumers has been reduced from fifteen hours to six or seven hours, which will further come down in December this year.

He was speaking at a briefing to the civil society, media persons, and diplomats about the government’s performance during the last three years in Islamabad on Thursday.

The Minister said since October 2014, uninterrupted electricity is being provided to the industrial sector.

He said 10,400 megawatt of electricity will be added to the national grid by 2018, which will be the year of end of load-shedding.

He said technical and line losses have been reduced by twenty-four percent, and ten billion rupees have been saved in this respect.

Secretary Ministry of Water and Power Mohammad Younus Dagha said under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, projects of 8630 out of 10400 megawatts are being implemented.

Giving briefing of the performance of his ministry, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said uninterrupted gas is being supplied to the industries.

He said Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline will be constructed by 2018, while the TAPI project will be completed by January 2020.

Briefing the participants about progress in the communications sector, Chairman National Highway Authority Shahid Ashraf Tarar said work is underway on 850-billion rupees thirteen projects of motorways and highways across the country.

He said the length of motorways in the country will reach to 1800 kilometers by 2018.

The NHA Chairman said Lowari Tunnel project will be completed in the first quarter of the next year. Under CPEC, Khunjerab will be connected to Gwadar. He said a 650 kilometer long highway from Gwadar to Sorab will be completed during the current year.

The participants commended government’s performance in the last three years. =DNA
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