Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari has said the government is taking all possible measures to minimize inconvenience to the public and avoid an increase in electricity prices amid the prevailing international situation.

In an exclusive conversation with Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik in Islamabad today, he said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that people should be spared an additional burden from higher electricity prices.

He said gas supplies have declined due to the situation in the Strait of Hormuz.

He said gas-fired power plants, which have a combined capacity of around five thousand megawatts, play an important role in meeting electricity demand during night-time peak hours, when overall demand rises to between twenty thousand and twenty-five thousand megawatts.

He added that there is currently no shortfall in electricity supply during daytime hours.

The Minister for Power attributed the current gas shortage to the US-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said diesel-fired and coal-fired power plants are operational, while the maximum available electricity is also being supplied to the national grid.

The Minister expressed hope that the gas supply issue would be resolved soon.

He said efforts are underway to ensure that Qatari gas can pass through the Strait of Hormuz and become available for domestic consumption.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Energy Ali Pervaiz Malik assured that the Petroleum Division would provide all possible support to the power sector.