–Omar Ayub submits preliminary probe report into nationwide power breakdown
ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved tax and duty exemption of highspeed diesel to facilitate the transport sector in shifting from smuggled and faulty diesel from Iran towards the refined imported diesel.
According to a source, the tax exemption for highspeed diesel will be given through general tendering as around 192 petrol pumps selling faulty smuggled Iranian petrol have been sealed.
The quality of standard petrol is higher, while poor quality petrol harms vehicles and the environment, the source added.
During the meeting, Energy Minister Omar Ayub submitted a preliminary report on the power breakdown. The report said that the power breakdown across the country was due to human error.
The report submitted to the federal cabinet said that a circuit breaker had been used to provide earthing facility during a maintenance work at Guddu Power Plant. The morning shift team went home without disconnecting the breaker, while the night shift shutdown the control room without providing earthing to the breaker, causing the Guddu Power Plant shutdown.
The tripping of the transmission lines of the power plant caused a nationwide power breakdown.
According to the source, Ayub also detailed the cabinet on action taken against those held responsible in the preliminary report. Prime Minister Imran Khan directed Ayub to inform the nation on the reasons of the power breakdown so all conspiracy theories about the incident could come to an end.
Furthermore, the federal cabinet discussed political, economic and national security issues, including the coronavirus situation. The agitation campaign of the opposition alliance of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was also reviewed.
Addressing the meeting, PM Imran said that various issues related to power breakdown need to be resolved once and for all. The premier had summoned Ayub and Adviser Nadeem Babar to the meeting, while a four-member ministerial committee would also brief the prime minister on the reasons that led to the petroleum shortage crisis in the country recently.
Asad Umar, Shafqat Mahmood, Shireen Mazari and Azam Swati are members of the probe committee and have been tasked to determine those responsible for the blackout.
The issue of Broadsheet LLC was also discussed in the meeting, wherein the PM entrusted the task of stating the facts on the Broadsheet case to the Information Minister Shibli Faraz.
The meeting discussed in detail the Osama Satti’s murder. PM Imran directed the interior minister to look into the murder case and said that the incident was unfortunate and justice would be served in the case.
PM Imran also directed the ministers to focus on their departments, stating that after two and a half years, the ministers need to work hard to solve the problems of the people.
He asked the federal ministers to focus on their work and discharge their duties with full energy as well as telling them to present the performance of their ministries and departments in the media in an accurate manner.
The meeting also informed the prime minister about the protest in front of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by the opposition. PM Imran said that the PDM had politicised the incident, which was unfortunate.
The cabinet approved the bill relating to the powers of the auditor general of Pakistan (AGP) and the declaration of  Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore Commercial Banking Circle as a police station.
