The Federal Cabinet has approved a comprehensive plan to gradually bring down electricity loadshedding to just two hours by the end of this month.

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This was stated by the Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb while briefing media about the decisions taken by the Federal Cabinet, which met in Islamabad today (Tuesday) with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said the cabinet also restored five working days from Monday to Friday with two weekly holidays on Saturday and Sunday to meet the current challenging situation. She said the Cabinet also constituted a committee to assess the impacts of declaring Work from Home on Friday as well.

Minister for Communications Asad Mahmood and Prime Minister’s Advisor on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Qamar Zaman Kaira were also present on the occasion.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said under the plan, the Cabinet decided to divide loadshedding duration into three parts.

She said from 6th to 15th of this month, there will be 3.5-hour duration of loadshedding, from 16th to 24th three hours and 25th to 29th 2.5 hours. She said after 30th of this month, total duration of electricity loadshedding in the country will be curtailed to just two hours a day.

The information minister said the step will help save 77 billion rupees annually.

She said instructions have been issued to provinces to switch-on street lights on alternate days, whereas a proposal regarding early closure of markets will be discussed with all the relevant stakeholders.

She said the Cabinet also gave approval for running a national awareness campaign for energy conservation.

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Similarly, the Cabinet imposed ban on purchase of official vehicles, except ambulances and vehicles for education purposes.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said the country is currently facing a shortfall of 4600 megawatts of electricity as the previous government of the PTI failed to complete power projects within the stipulated time that included Trimmu Power Station, Karot Hyhdro Power Project and Shanghai Electric Power Plant at Sahiwal.

Marriyum Aurganzeb said the cabinet also approved 40 percent cut in petrol quota for government functionaries and cabinet members.