The United States has offered Pakistan its support to establish a commercially viable and sustainable power sector to overcome its energy problems.
The offer was made by a US delegation at the two day Pakistan-US Energy Dialogue in Islamabad.
Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar led Pakistan’s delegation, while the American delegation was headed by Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs Carlos Paseual.
The American delegation reaffirmed commitment to help Pakistan in its endeavours to resolve its energy crisis which is affecting socio-economic progress of the country.
A representative of the USAID highlighted its ongoing energy programmes which will add more than nine hundred megawatt electricity to the Pakistani grid next year. The programmes include construction and rehabilitation of three hydro power and three thermal power plants.
The minister for water and power briefed the meeting about the efforts being made by the government to deal with the energy crisis on an urgent basis. He said that short‚ medium and long term measures are being taken to address the issue.
The two sides thoroughly reviewed progress of ongoing energy programmes and decided to pursue practical solutions to meet Pakistan’s energy needs.
Pakistan should negotiate for converting coal into energy from the Sind coalfields. In Baluchistan there are mud valcanoes that be exploited for geothermal energy. Up in the Northern area and those parts of Makran where constant wind between 10-15mph is blowing wind turbines can be used. Finally the Kala bagh and other hydro projects must be given priority over the political bedfellows.
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