Raja Pervaiz Ashraf (Urdu: راجہ پرویز اشرف) (born December 26, 1950 in Sanghar, Sindh) is the current Minister for Water and Power of Pakistan in the PM Yousaf Raza Gillani-led cabinet. He is a senior leader of Pakistan Peoples Party from Rawalpindi District. He has been twice elected MNA from his constituency of Gujar Khan, Rawalpindi District, the latest being the February 2008 elections. He became the Federal Minister in the coalition government of PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F formed after 2008 elections.
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Early Life and Education
Raja Pervez Ashraf was born in Sanghar District in the interior Sindh Province. After completing a bachelors degree (in an unknown discipline) from University of Sindh in 1970, his professional occupation has been that of business and agriculture. After that, he joined the center-left PPP, and made Gujar Khan his new home.
2007 Activities
Appears regularly on current affairs TV talk shows speaking against the current government and in favour of PPP in the hope of getting a political posting under a minister. Zarai Taraqiati Bank gets on back to return the multi-crore rupees loan he had taken few years back.
2008 Activities
In the 2008 election he beat the PML (N) candidate Chaudhry Muhammad Riaz in the NA-51 general elections.
April 2008
| According to Raja Pervaiz Ashraf | According to Facts | According to W&P Ministry |
|---|---|---|
| 3 April 2008, Raja Parvez Ashraf said (Geo TV): “The government is facing a shortage of 3000 MW. The previous government was unable to produce even 1 MW.” 7 April 2008, Raja Pervez Ashraf said in a press conference: “In the past 12 years not even 1 MW of electricity was produced." According to Dawn news (8 April 08) he said, "not a single megawatt had been added to the national grid over the past 10 to 11 years, including the tenure of the past government which had made tall claims.“Should I call it a deliberate attempt, criminal negligence or simply the anti-people attitude of the previous government, which failed to provide a vital need of daily life for all Pakistanis, be it a common man or an industrialist."1 |
In Musharraf era: i) The 1450 MW Ghazi Brotha Hydel Project (GBHP) went into operation in June 2003; (ii) Nuclear power plant Chashma-2, came on-line in 2007, has added another 300MW to the national grid; (iii) Chashma-1 – built by China and started commercial operation in 2000 – added 300 MW to the national grid. In 1999 our installed capacity was 15,860 MW (with Hydel 4826 + Thermal 10,897 + Nuclear 137). In 2005-06 our installed capacity was 20,495 MW (with Hydel 6499 + Thermal 13,534 + Nuclear 462) |
Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf had blamed the Musharraf regime for not inducting even a single unit in the power generation system, but two days ago the Ministry of Water and Power in a written reply to the National Assembly refuted the claim of its own Ministry. The ministry conceded that 2200 MW power had been injected in the system during the last seven years (22 Nov 2008).2 |
End of Loadshedding from 14 Aug 2009
23 May 2008, Raja Parvaiz Ashraf said, “There would be no loadshedding from the Independence Day (August 14) next year”, while presiding over a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Friday.3
26 May 2008, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said, "load shedding will be eliminated by August 14 next year".4
27 May 2008, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf said, "Load shedding in the country would end by August 14, 2009."5
21 Nov 2008, Raja Parvez Ashraf informed the house that six power projects – Ghazi Barotha Hydel Power Station (1,450MW); Rental Power Plant at Sheikhupura (150MW); Rental Power Plant at Bhikhi (136 MW); SEPCOL Power Plant (119MW); Altern Power Plant (29MW) and Malakand-III Hydel Power Plant (81MW) had been added to the system during the last five years (power generation capacity of 1,965 MW)… whereas Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) processed 40 multiple fuel projects with a cumulative capacity of 11,021MW throughout the country in private sector during the same period.The minister further told the House that three projects launched by the previous regime with a cumulative capacity of 615MW were expected to start electricity generation by April next year.6
Agreement with Iran for 1,135MW of Electricity
Iran signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan in December 2008 to provide 1,135MW of electricity with an offer to double the export, if needed.7
2009 Activities
End of Loadshedding from Dec 2009
2 January 2009, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf says that loadshedding would end by December 2009.8
Shortfall due to Reduction in Winds
According to PEPCO spokesman:
the country is presently facing a total power shortfall of 1,500 to 2,500 MW due to reduction in generation at windmills.9
19 April 2009
| Raja Pervez Ashraf Says | Ground Facts |
|---|---|
| 19 April 2009: Yousaf Raza Gilani inaugurates Zorlu Wind Farm Project in Jhampir Town in District Thatta and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf says, “It is another feather in the cap of Pakistan Peoples Party” and “We have made it possible under the able leadership of our president Asif Ali Zardari”, Raja Pervez Ashraf, Minister for Water and Power. [Citation Required] | On 22 January 2007, Federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Jatoi performed ground-breaking ceremony of the first wind power plant of the country in Jhampir town which is built by Turkish energy group Zorlu Energy and is expected to generate 50MW electricity and cost between $80 and 90 million US dollars.10 |
21 May 2009: Raja Pervaiz Ashraf maintains:
"With the addition of 3500 MW of electricity into the system, the ongoing power crisis will end in December"11
22 May 2009: Raja Pervaiz Arshraf says that the whooping demand and supply gap would be bridged by December 2009 and there would be no loadshedding by the end of current year.12
15 June 2009: "Power generation sector having installed capacity 3102 MW would be completed by the end of this year [2009]", Raja Pervaiz Ashraf.13
Warrents for Arrest
On 13 June 2009, the Civil Judge Syed Farrukh Hussain Shamsi issued warrant for the arrest of Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervaiz Ashraf for his alleged involvement in a quarrel with Lahore High Court (LHC) officials. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was involved in a quarrel with the registrar of Lahore High Court (Rawalpindi Bench) in 1998. The federal minister was granted bail but after that he never attended proceedings of the court. The court issued warrant for his arrest due to this reason.14
Karachi Electricity Breakdown
According to the KESC, at 7.07pm on 17 June 2009 (Wednesday), a failure of the Jamshoro-Dadu 500kV circuit in the NTDC system caused sequential trips in the KESC system and Karachi lost all of its electricity. On 18 June 2009, Pervaiz Ashraf said in the National Assembly that "the power supply will restore completely till 1:00 pm."15 Uptill 12 noon on Thusday, 18 June 80% of Karachi was without electricity16 At 1 pm electricity was restored to some portions of the city, one by one, however, majority of the city localities only got the electricity after a blackout of 24 hours and after 1 to 1.5 hours of electricity the city again starting witnessing loadshedding which continued throughout the night. By 12 noon on Thursday, 18 June, of the 1,100 feeders of KESC, only 241 feeders had become operational17 Until Friday, 19 June 2009 majority of Karachi city was still out of electricity. Many parts of the city which got the electricity in the past 48 hours, was only for a few hours. Because of continuous electricity breakdown, city also started witnessing a water crisis.18
Electricity was restored by 1pm on Thursday, just as Federal Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf had said. However, within an hour the city experienced the same blackouts which continued for nearly 48 hours. But then again, Raja Parvaiz Ashraf never said anything about electricity not going out after 1 pm on Thursday.
July Floods
Raja Parvez Ashraf claims restoration of electricity in 90 percent areas of Karachi, however, still 90 percent part of the city is without electricity.19
26 July - KESC Takeover
Raja Parwez Ashraf on 25 July, said if the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) failed to improve the power situation, the government can take over the company’s management. The minister said a show-cause notice has been issued to the KESC and a report has been sought within 10 days on the worst power crisis in the business hub of the country.20 He also announced:
There will be no loadshedding after December 2009 and the government will control power shortage by completing all short-term projects within stipulated time.
Change in Stand
4 August 2009
Raja Pervez Ashraf, when asked about overcoming electricity shortage in country outside Parliament House by Geo news on 4 August 2009, instead of reiterating his promise, he said:
why do you ask me same question every time?21
Willing to be Hanged
On 8th August 2009 Raja Ashraf Parvaiz in response to allegations levelled by PML-Q’s Faisal Saleh Hayat who spoke about kickbacks, obsolete plants and costly power, said:
"I’m prepared to be hanged if any corruption charge is proved."22
September 2009
Raja Ashraf Pervez buys a £4.3 million flat in London, allegedly from the corruption money.23
Raja Parvez Ashraf promises that there will not be any loadshedding during Ramzan, however, cities throughout Pakistan are hit by unannounced loadshedding. Localities in Lahore get upto six hours of daily unannounced loadshedding24
End of Loadshedding from Jun 2010
Raja "Pervez Ashraf passes the buck to critics to save his skin"25 and after repeating the date of December 2009 for the entire year has now given a new deadline for ending loadshedding. Blaming the critics for the delay in the commencement of the controversial rental power plants, he has now given the deadline of June 2010.
2010
2008 Agreement with Iran for 1,135MW of Electricity
Iran signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan in December 2008 to provide 1,135MW of electricity with an offer to double the export, if needed. However, after nearly two years of no concrete action by the Pakistani authorities, Iran expressed confusion regarding the issue. Iran's ambassador Masha’allah Shakeri said, “I’m perplexed. I can’t understand what’s wrong with the Iranian offer. Time is of the essence. Should Iran wait forever. What was the need to sign the MoU? Honestly we would like to go with Pakistan. Our objective is to address Pakistan’s immediate electricity needs. We are ready to build infrastructure. Our cooperation can even include financial assistance,” Ambassador Shakeri said that over the past 15 months he had met Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Power Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, officials of the Board of Investment and Private Power and Infrastructure Board, but was yet to hear anything from them on the subject of reaching an agreement. About the power shortage in Pakistan which has risen to 4,500MW causing outages of up to 10 hours across the country, Mr Shakeri said he was at a loss to understand what stopped Pakistan from moving forward on the Iranian offer.26
Turkey, Armenia and Afghanistan are importing electricity from Iran, which produces 50,000MW and is expecting to add another 4000-5000MW in coming years from hydel sources.
Trivia
Net worth in 2007: Rs. 15 caror
Net worth in 2009: More than Rs. 1 billion
Trivia: If you want continuous electricity supply to your industry the Federal Minister for Water and Power in Pakistan, Raja Parvez Ashraf charges between Rs. 5 to 10 caror (one-time fee). He started charging with meagre 2-3 caror in 2008.
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