Comparing the PTI government with a school, PML-N senior leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi described the latest reshuffle in the federal cabinet as handing over toys to those who failed in their previous assignments.

Talking to media persons at the Parliament Lodges in Islamabad, Abbasi said the child who could not run the railways’ affairs was given the interior ministry while the narcotics control to the one failing to manage the interior ministry.

And the railways was given to the one who failed in all the papers, remarked the former premier after he asked for his comments on the latest changes in portfolios.

Promising that he can provide documentary proof, Abbasi blasted the government for mishandling the LNG affairs and said the latest nine shipments had been procured at a 70 percent higher rate, costing an additional amount of Rs15 billion to the national exchequer.

He said the government must book 12 shipments every month and recalled that the PML-N used to issue tenders in June and July for the imports required in winter.

“These people have so far caused a loss of hundreds of billions of rupees,” the former prime minister noted and added that the PTI used to criticise them over the LNG issue but had been forced to focus on the same fuel.

He warned about the severe crisis in the coming days and said the country would face a 33 percent shortfall during the peak consumption period.

But the effects, Abbasi said, were far-reaching as the country would generate expensive electricity through furnace oil and diesel due to the non-availability of LNG. “Have mercy on this country, do some planning,” said he added.

Earlier in the day, 24NewsHD had reported that the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) had filed an application with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) which will hold a public hearing on December 17.

This increase is being demanded under the monthly-fuel adjustment – a repeatedly-used tool to further burden the consumers who are already facing the worst inflation rate in the country’s history amid the ever-increasing employment and zero increase in salaries or income.

Last month, a total of 9.97 billion units of electricity were generated at a cost of Rs43.17 billion. And the most expensive share of this generation was of diesel at a rate of Rs19.83 per unit followed by Rs12.17 for furnace oil.

However, it doesn’t make any sense given the fact that the NEPRA already banned power generation through diesel and furnace oil.

Meanwhile, the corresponding cost for the locally-produced gas and the imported LNG was Rs6.70 and Rs6.55, clearly showing the LNG was the cheapest fuel, which makes the government decision of not importing its required amount even more questionable.