KARACHI: Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has raised concerns about the long-term effectiveness of the Punjab government’s relief package, questioning what will happen after the two-month relief period ends. In a discussion at a private news channel, Mayor Wahab criticized the short-term nature of the relief measures, suggesting that if substantial relief is not provided after 60 days, it would amount to merely giving the public a ‘lollipop.’
Wahab highlighted that while every government aims to provide relief to its citizens, it is crucial to consider both the immediate and long-term effects. He emphasized that the government should make decisions that offer lasting benefits rather than temporary fixes. The mayor pointed out that the Punjab government plans to allocate Rs. 45 billion for electricity relief. However, he expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of this measure, suggesting that the public might find themselves in the same predicament after two months. He recommended that the federal government consider providing long-term relief solutions instead of short-term fixes.
Wahab also criticized the previous government’s hasty agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), asserting that the role of government is to provide long-term relief rather than short-term solutions. He argued against playing a provincial card in electricity matters. He expressed doubts about receiving positive input from Mustafa Kamal and urged the federal government to collaborate and reach a consensus on measures for long-term relief. The mayor highlighted that the Thar coal and wind corridor projects are critical to Pakistan’s energy basket, with Sindh contributing 5,000 megawatts to the national grid. He emphasized the need to move beyond mere optics and focus on developing sustainable, long-term relief strategies.
#KarachiMayor, #MurtazaWahab, #PunjabReliefPackage, #ElectricityRelief, #LongTermSolutions, #IPPs, #EnergyCrisis, #SustainableRelief, #FederalGovernment, #TharCoal, #WindCorridor,
