On Tuesday, Finance Minister Aurangzeb confirmed that the two Chinese nationals killed in Karachi were part of the team renegotiating terms for Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
In a pre-recorded statement, he revealed that the engineers were working with Energy Minister Awais Leghari and himself to renegotiate Pakistan’s request to re-profile its energy debt. The goal was to extend repayment maturities, reduce power tariffs, and provide relief to the public. Pakistan is seeking a five-year extension for repaying its $16 billion energy debt.
Aurangzeb expressed condolences to the families of the slain engineers and noted that they represented Chinese IPPs who were committed to resolving the energy crisis and creating a “win-win” situation for both countries.
Finance Minister Aurangzeb also criticized the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for recent strikes, claiming they caused daily losses of Rs190 billion to the economy. He noted that business activity was suspended for three to four days, resulting in a total economic loss of Rs570 billion to Rs760 billion.
He further estimated that 800,000 people in Islamabad alone were impacted by the business closures. However, the minister did not comment on the economic impact caused by the suspension of internet services or road closures from Azad Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab to the capital, which were imposed by the federal interior ministry.
Aurangzeb urged citizens to avoid activities that harm Pakistan’s economy and reiterated the government’s commitment to stabilizing the financial situation.
