Unscheduled power cuts across the nation have drawn sharp condemnation from the National Assembly’s Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, which has labeled the outages a breach of regulations set by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). The committee has ordered the Power Division to appear before it at its upcoming session to provide a justification for the widespread disruptions. During Wednesday’s proceedings at Parliament House, committee members, led by MNA Malik Ibrar Ahmad, were told that the electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) were implementing the blackouts under a policy related to Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT and C) losses, allegedly at the behest of the Power Division. However, NEPRA representatives countered this assertion, stating that such actions violate the 2025 Performance Standards Distribution Rules and have never received regulatory approval. The committee deemed this policy an overreach into NEPRA’s jurisdiction.

The parliamentary group also scrutinized the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), criticizing its lax oversight of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sales and decanting in residential neighborhoods. This practice, they argued, presents a significant public safety hazard. Concerns were also raised regarding the production of subpar LPG cylinders. The committee has called for stringent legal measures against those flouting safety standards and a public awareness initiative highlighting the risks associated with faulty cylinders.

In a separate development, the committee voted down a proposed amendment to the Services Tribunals Amendment Bill, 2025. The amendment aimed to shorten the timeframe for aggrieved civil servants to lodge appeals from 90 to 35 days. Committee members argued that this change would create an excessive workload for tribunals and limit the ability of government departments to conduct thorough investigations.

Finally, the Benevolent and Group Insurance Funds Management has been instructed to complete an actuarial assessment of both funds within three months. The committee advocated for disbursing financial benefits to government workers upon retirement, rather than solely to their beneficiaries after their passing. Officials clarified that currently, only the legal heirs of deceased employees are eligible for financial grants. MNAs Tahira Aurangzeb, Nuzhat Sadiq, Farah Naz Akbar, Syed Rafiullah, Rana Ansar, along with high-ranking officials from various government divisions and relevant agencies, were present at the meeting.