Summary Ishaq Dar informed Ms. Annette Dixon that Pakistan would overcome loadshedding by early 2018.
WASHINGTON (Agencies) - Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar held a meeting with World Bank Vice President for South Asian Region Ms. Annette Dixon in Washington on Sunday.
Ishaq Dar while apprising the Vice President Ms. Annette Dixon about the current economic situation in the country said that government has taken concrete measures to bring structural changes for the sustainable economic development.
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said that government is undertaking energy sector projects at top priority to overcome loadshedding by early 2018. Around 25000 MW projects have been identified and are at different stages of implementation. Out of this, 10,000 MW will be added in the system by March 2018. In the meantime, there has been no loadshedding in the Industrial sector for last 03 years which is a significant achievement, he added.
Ishaq Dar further said that the present government is in the process of making a Master Plan for energy sector. The Master Plan will take care of the future demand of the energy from various sectors of the economy.
Finance Minister further stated that the Govt. believes in inclusive & sustainable high growth. The government has established the Micro Finance Company to extend micro-finance facilities to the poorer segments of society. The Govt. has tripled the allocation for Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) since 2013 and the number of beneficiaries has increased to 5.4 million.
Ishaq Dar appreciated that World Bank (WB) has been a great partner in Pakistan’s development. We are continuing on the path of reforms and will not make any compromise in this regard.
