ISLAMABAD, Feb 17 (APP):The meeting of the Standing Committee of National Assembly on Power Division held on Tuesday in Parliament House, under the chairmanship of the Acting Chairman, Member of National Assembly (MNA), Babar Nawaz Khan.
Chairman of the Standing Committee on Power Division, Muhammad Idrees, was unable to attend due to road closures in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Committee, therefore, unanimously decided that MNA, Babar Nawaz Khan, the member of the Committee, would preside over the meeting as Acting Chairman.
During the meeting, the Committee confirmed the minutes of its previous meetings held on 29th and 30th January, 2026.
Consideration of the implementation status of previous recommendations was deferred.
The Committee considered “The Multi-Vendor Electricity Distribution Bill, 2025,” moved by MNA, Shahida Rehmani and recommended that its consideration be deferred due to the absence of the mover.
The Secretary and Additional Secretary, Power Division, gave a detailed presentation on the budgetary proposals under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the year 2026–27 relating to the Power Division and its attached departments.
The briefing covered the list of projects included in the PSDP for the year 2025-26, executing agencies, approved project costs, actual expenditure incurred up to June 2025, projected cumulative expenditure up to June 2026, budgetary demands for 2026–27, and expected completion timelines.
The Committee was informed that certain projects in Karachi had been completed, though formal authorization was still required. It was further apprised that there was no low-cost electricity generation equipments currently available in Karachi and that the Power Division was taking steps to supply electricity to Karachi through the National Grid System. Members raised several questions during the presentation, which were duly responded to by the Secretary, Power Division.
The Committee scrutinized the PSDP proposals for the year 2026–27 and recommended them for the next financial year before their submission to the Finance Division for inclusion in the Federal Budget under Rule 201 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007.
While approving the proposals, the Committee urged the Finance Division and the Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Division to accord priority to these projects and ensure timely financial releases to enable the Power Division to initiate and complete them efficiently.
The Committee also deferred Agenda Item No. 5 regarding a comprehensive briefing by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Hazara Electric Supply Company (HAZECO), on the criteria for appointment of Board Members, details of sanctioned posts and staff shortages, and the status of ongoing projects and electrification initiatives in NA-12 (Kohistan).
It was decided that these matters would also be taken up in forthcoming meetings of the Sub-Committee constituted by the Committee under the convenership of MNA, Babar Nawaz Khan.