Pakistani PM chairs emergency meeting after major power breakdown

Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf Monday presided over an emergency meeting hours after most parts of the country plunged into darkness due to major "technical fault" in the country's two major power producing units, officials said. The power breakdown completely cut off power supply to the capital Islamabad, the port city Karachi and almost all main cities late Sunday night, officials said. Rai Sikandar, a senior official of the Ministry of Water and Power, said that the breakdown occurred when power plants tripped suddenly at Tarbela dam in the northwest and Mangla in Pakistan's part of Kashmir. The Prime Minister presided over a high level meeting to review the energy situation in the country at which he was informed that electricity has been restored in most parts of the country whereas it would be restored in the rest of the country before evening, the PM office said. The Prime Minister was also informed that an Inquiry Committee will submit its findings along with recommendations within seven days, a statement from the PM office said. The Prime Minister said that no one would be spared and severe action will be taken against anyone who was found negligent of his duties or who was found responsible for having failed in his duties leading to breakdown of the electricity in the country. During the meeting the present supply and demand state of power as well as availability of fuel for thermal power plants and provision of gas were discussed in detail. The Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Water and Power that every measure be taken to ensure that the supply and demand gap is minimized and consumers face the minimum inconvenience. People in many parts of the country are still complaining of power outage, which has affected industrial sector as well as water supply system.