ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet approved a summary by the Power Division for issuance of a government of Pakistan’s guarantee amounting to Rs. 659.65 billion for financing circular debt totalling Rs1.23 trillion.
The ECC met here on Friday under the chairmanship of Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue. The GoP guarantee is intended for the settlement of Power Holding Limited’s debt and overdue payments to Independent Power Producers. The ECC authorised the Finance Division to issue a Letter of Comfort accordingly. Power Division was directed to report back to ECC on the timeframe for the closure of PHL following the settlement of the debt issue.
The ECC also took up a summary submitted by the Power Division regarding the rationalisation of tariffs and payment adjustments for nuclear power plants (NPPs), Government-owned Power Plants (GPPs), the OGDCL, and the SNGPL.
The proposal formulated through the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Power Sector Reforms, aims to enhance financial sustainability, streamline payments and reduce overall costs in the power sector.
The Committee endorsed the agreed framework among the concerned entities for the settlement of outstanding dues and waiver of specific financial claims to support fiscal balance and tariff rationalization. These measures are part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen the financial health of the energy sector and ensure long-term cost efficiency.
The Committee approved another proposal by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research for the reallocation of funds within the Division. The approval allows the transfer of resources from the IPC Division through a technical supplementary grant to support ongoing agricultural research initiatives.
A summary submitted by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs regarding the terms of engagement for the utilisation of Pakistan International Bulk Terminal (PIBT) at Port Qasim for handling and exporting copper-gold commodities, minerals, metals, and other natural resources was also discussed and deferred with the instruction to the Ministry to resubmit it with a clear and well-considered framework following consultation from stakeholders.
The ECC also discussed a summary by the Ministry of Interior for the grant of a TSG amounting to Rs 960.3 million to ensure timely disbursement to the transferred staff of Pak PWD for the months of October 2025 to June 2026. The Committee approved the TSG to the extent of payment of salaries for the current quarter and sought a report from CDA by December on its plans for the transferred Pak PWD staff.
On a proposal from the Petroleum Division, the ECC approved the allocation and pricing of gas from the Mari Field to fertilizer plants to ensure an adequate and affordable supply of fertilizer on a structural basis.
Towards the end, the ECC was also presented by the Finance Division, a report on the Home Remittance Incentive Schemes (HRIS).
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Federal Minister for Petroleum, Ali Pervaiz Malik, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, as well as federal secretaries and senior officials from relevant ministries, departments, and regulatory bodies.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
