The energy crisis in Pakistan is worsening by the second and it is impacting not only the common people but the economy of Pakistan in the worst possible way. Now even our minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, whose job description included giving outright lies as deadlines for the ending of loadshedding, has given up all pretense and said in a recent statement that there is no hope of loadshedding ending in the near future. The energy crisis is not just confined to electricity only but is now extending to natural gas as well.
The strategies that the government is coming up with to deal with this situation prioritise the short-term over the long-run. Importing high-cost generators, RPPs, privatisation etc are not sustainable while making the cost of electricity so expensive that it will punch both the domestic and industrial consumers in the gut. Not only are they not keeping a long-term strategy in mind, efficiency is also a low priority. This myopic outlook is going to do us no favours.
Pakistan is ripe for the development of alternate energy sources. We are a sunny country, we have windy coastlines and bio-fuel wastage in agriculture; these can easily be used for development of energy which is cost-effective, efficient and environmentally conscious. I hope the government will open its eyes and give some direction to its hapless and feckless energy policy.
KAINAT FATIMA
Lahore
