PTI wants defence budget increased, slams govt over energy crisis

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders, including Opposition Leader Omer Ayub, Senator Shibli Faraz, Sheikh Waqas Akram, and Taimur Saleem Jhagra, launched a scathing attack on the federal government during a joint press conference on Saturday, highlighting Pakistan’s worsening energy crisis, economic challenges, and increasing political censorship.

Senator Shibli Faraz emphasized the centrality of the power sector to the national economy, calling it the backbone of Pakistan’s infrastructure.

“Despite producing 46,000MW of electricity, we have only one buyer — the national grid — and yet the country faces hours-long power outages,” he said. “This inefficiency results in circular debt and unaffordable electricity for the public.”

He criticized the government for taxing solar panels and failing to address systemic issues in power generation and distribution.

Omer Ayub highlighted global tensions impacting Pakistan’s economy. “With a war-like situation between Iran and Israel, the global oil market is under pressure,” he warned. “Petrol prices have surged from $64 to $75 per barrel, and Pakistan, which spends half of its national budget on petroleum products, will feel the brunt of it.”

Ayub accused the government of hiding facts and silencing the opposition in parliament. “Our speeches were censored, and even the cameras were turned off during the joint resolution on Israel,” he alleged. He also voiced concerns about regional threats, stating, “India could take aggressive action again. We must increase our defense spending and stay alert.”

Former KP finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra exposed what he described as political appointments in the power sector after the change of government in 2022. “Relatives of Fazlur Rehman and Amir Muqam were placed in power sector boards, and this mismanagement is now surfacing in the form of severe load shedding,” he claimed.

He noted that electricity consumption in agriculture had dropped by 34%, and in industries by 5%, signaling an economic slowdown. “Despite lower consumption, the circular debt continues to rise. Punjab is now seeing up to 12 hours of load shedding, and KP is facing outages in extreme heat — up to 46°C,” he added.

Sheikh Waqas Akram said power outages in Balochistan and KP now last up to 22 hours a day, while in Sindh, people face 12 to 18 hours of outages. “This isn’t a power shortage; it’s sheer incompetence,” he stated. He also raised concerns about human rights violations, saying many inmates in Kot Lakhpat Jail don’t have access to doctors or generators.

“The PTI founding chairman [Imran Khan] wants to meet with four key leaders to discuss the budget, but the jail administration is not allowing proper facilities,” he said.

The leaders unanimously condemned what they described as a targeted campaign against PTI and its leadership. “New laws are being made to target political opponents through tax notices and other means,” Shibli Faraz alleged.

They vowed to continue resisting the government's “anti-people policies” and to raise their voice against what they called increasing political repression, censorship, and economic misgovernance.