Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari has announced that from June next year, load shedding will be carried out on transformers in areas with electricity theft, instead of on entire feeders.
Speaking to journalists after inspecting the expansion project at Farooq Ahmad Khan Leghari International Airport, the minister said the government had limited load shedding to two hours at night, saving consumers from an additional burden of Rs6 per unit.
Leghari said the airport, which has remained closed for five years, will become operational by the end of next year. He said he had obtained the prime minister’s approval for the Rs5.5 billion expansion project, which is already under way.
Officials of the Pakistan Airports Authority briefed the minister on the project earlier in the day. They said the work includes extending the runway from 6,000 feet to 10,000 feet and widening it from 30 metres to 45 metres.
Facilities for night landings will also be installed. The project is expected to be completed in 18 months. The minister said passengers from the Dera Ghazi Khan Division and districts of neighbouring provinces will use the airport.