Energy crisis developed in country in Gen Musharraf’s era: Ahsan Iqbal

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal said on Monday that the country had electricity in surplus way back in 1999 and the then PML-N government was even thinking of exporting it, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

“But due to lack of attention on the part of successive government of General Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan turned into an energy deficient country,” he said while addressing a function in Narowal, adding that the energy crisis developed in the country particularly after 2006.   

Ahsan was of the view that had Vision 2025 been implemented, Pakistan would have been ranked amongst 25 most developed economies of the world.  

The federal minister further said that back in 2017 foreigners were interested in investing in Pakistan. 

He said for a country to grow, it was imperative that there should be continuity in its economic policies.  

He regretted that despite the fact that Pakistan had a large market size, still the country had failed to attract the foreign investment.  “We as a nation need to think where we stand today,” he stressed. 

Earlier during a visit to the site of Narowal Sports City, he said that work on the project, which had stopped under the PTI government, would resume soon and it would be completed within eight months.  

He went on to say that there were arrangements for holding 14 sports competitions in the complex.  

Reporter: Yasir Arafat