Power crisis: Federal cabinet approves two-day weekend

[niazikhan2]

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet has approved two days holiday a week for those industries completely dependent on electricity and gas, Express 24/7 reported Wednesday.

The decision was taken by the federal cabinet in response to the ongoing, crippling countrywide power crisis.

The content of the decision will later be announced by the Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Firdous Ashiq Awan in a press conference.

The proposal for this move will be forwarded to Council of Common Interest (CCI) for a final approval. The CCI’s approval is necessary to take the Punjab on board, as a large number of industrialists who will be affected by the two-day weekend belong to the province.

Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif will attend the CCI session where the final decision will be taken.

Prime Minister House sources said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is due to summon a session of the CCI in a couple of days in which the premier will invite members of the CCI to discuss implementing the decision. However, the Karachi business community has already rejected the decision.

The decision will be implemented from October 15 and will be applicable to banks also.

Earlier, protesting against the government’s inaction over the ongoing power crisis, parliamentarians, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), staged a protest and sit-in on Thursday in front of the presidency.

Demonstrations in different parts of the country were also held in order to protest against prolonged load shedding across the country.

Earlier in May, the government had decided to table an energy saving plan comprising two holidays a week, closure of shops at 8 pm, advancing clocks by one hour and turning off street lights at night.

Power crisis: Federal cabinet approves two-day weekend – The Express Tribune