PTI reveals its energy cards…

By
Hussain
-
49
193

Unfolding its strategy to resolve the energy crisis in the country, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday vowed to rid the country of the crisis after coming into power with diligent planning, effective policy and efficient management for a self-reliant and economically stable Pakistan as it identified poor governance and corruption as the main source of prevailing current energy crisis in the country.
Briefing participants of PTI Policy Seminar on “Energy: From Crisis to Solution” at a local hotel, PTI central leader Jehangir Khan Tareen said, “There has been a lack of long-term planning and implementation over the last four decades with increasing reliance on quick but expensive fixes such as imported thermal and rental power plants.”
Herculean but possible: Tareen said that while the challenge was Herculean, it was surmountable if tackled on a war footing.
Hoping to be part of the next federal cabinet led by PTI chairman Imran Khan, Tareen said that the PTI was a symbol of change and was presenting a comprehensive framework on energy before coming in power. He said the current government had neither the ability nor the political will to make the energy sector financially viable. Tareen said that indigenous resources such as domestic gas, abundant hydel potential and Thar Coal had been criminally ignored. He said that imported furnace oil dependence has increased the total oil import bill from $3bn to $12bn in a decade. He said that the government spent Rs 1 trillion in offering subsidies, almost doubled tariffs but still had no solution in sight. He said that the issues of poor governance, planning and implementation, circular debt, financial sustainability, a wrong fuel-mix with two-thirds of power from imported furnace oil and gas needed to be tackled.
A new energy vision: Liberalise and streamline Giving an Energy Policy Vision, Tareen said that the PTI will establish a single, professional ministry of energy and single empowered energy regulator within the first 100 days of a PTI government’s ‘Big Bang’ reforms. He said that it will liberate public sector enterprises (GENCOs, DISCOs, OGDC) from government interference and appoint independent boards with real powers, including the selection of CEOs.
He said that it will open up power sector generation to small and medium investors and adopt use of renewable, off-grid solutions like solar, biomass, micro-hydel for rural electrification besides declaring an emergency on energy conservation.
On the issue of circular debt, Tareen said they will decrease overall transmission and distribution losses from 20 percent to 10 percent and increase collections from 88 percent to 95 percent. He said it will work on converting the 4500MW of expensive furnace oil plants to cheaper imported coal to reduce cost of generation by Rs 475bn annually.
Thar Coal: a game-changer Tareen said that Thar Coal will be prioritised as a game-changer. He said that within five years, 4,000 MW hydel power will be added by fast-tracking stalled pipelines projects and CASA hydel-based import from central Asia. On the gas crisis, Tareen said that 2000 mmcfd of domestic gas will be added within five years by facilitating and incentivising existing and new investors.
On financing future energy investments, Tareen said the PTI government will resolve the circular debt besides setting up infrastructure development and finance institution to catalyse energy investments from overseas Pakistanis, domestic and international investors, sovereign funds etc.
Speaking on the occasion, PTI chairman Imran Khan said that unless politicians have stakes in Pakistan, they will not take long-term decisions. He said that no one who has property and assets abroad will be made part of the PTI cabinet. He promised to solve the problems which have pushed the country to the brink of bankruptcy. He said a chief executive who has 80-member cabinet could not curb corruption as ministers continue to blackmail the Prime Minister for vested interests.

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49 COMMENTS

    • The first step is good intentions and a plan, then there has be will, only then you can execute the plan. The key is good intention which have been lacking with PPP Government.

    • your favourite PPP, PML-N, MQM and ANP have also made such tall claims but all of them are in power since 20 years. But they didn't do anything

      • An unwise comment by Hamid Khan.

        Hamid Khan could have said that he was not impressed by what Tareen had to say and make alternate suggestions but he did not bother to do it.

        Some of the things Tareen said are a routine in today's political culture of Pakistan i.e. adhoc and quick fixes.

        Will there be some sort of book keeping for those who made these cavalier decisions? I think there must be.

    • Hohohohohohohoho I can not stop crying when I think about you. Damn it just report it to the PTI and they will look into your probes and won't issue Them tickets. I support PTI as so many others do, how can someone stop me or anyone else supporting them. You silly idiot come back and right again if they give tickets to someone lke that. The type of people you are talking about are opportunists and Imran Khan has already said about them that they will not last for too long. So relax my baby you have already seen someone from non named Rasheed has come and gone so they will be gone very soon and we don't need them either if they are not there for Pakistan and rather joining PTI for themselves. Next time think twice before start mourning. Please stop crying now

    • "The nation has already tried them", bot tried them under Imran Khan. A right person at the top can enforce 'rightiness' on those below themselves!:)

      • OHHH!!!! Exactly…VERY RIGHTLY SAID SIRR!! Very rightly said!! Same is the situation in Shaukat Khanam!!

  11. Kindly pay attention to what the think-tank of PTI has presented a solution package for dealing with energy crisis. First time, a political party is putting its real intentions and credibility on line by presenting a solution package based on professional and managerial inputs. Let us be honest enough to congratulate such contribution.

    Just a side but relevant comment, we do criticize political partied a lot for not doing their homework but when they do, we just ignore real news and content with few lines on generalities. However, I appreciate the Pakistan Today for its objective and deserving coverage on this aspect; I wish others to follow this example.

    • @ Shaz: 2 thumbs up dude. And Congrats to PTI for putting an effort and to come up with a plan. 2 thumbs up to PTI also.

    • PTI presented nothing new in its program. Most of its proposals r already underway, but hydel power project like Bhasha will be completed by 2020. Only then energy crisis will finish. PTI has nothing to offer new.

  12. One perception about Thar coal energy project is that Mr. Samar Mubarakmand is misleading government and exaggerating. But God knows well.

    • This perception has been generated by the petro mafia who do not want their oil export to Pakistan diminish, after harnessing the Thar coal deposits.

    • Pakistan has mainly relies on Hydel and Gas. With water level down during winter month and to meet irrigation need and at same shortage of Gas we have to rely on Oil which too expensive. Coal will be much cheaper. For futire water, coal and renewable like wind, solar and biomass

  13. VERY TALL CLAIMS,because Mr.Tareen has been the EFFECTIVE member of several previous governments.More over WHERE IS SOLUTION OF ENERGY CRISES.

    • "where is solution…bla bla bla"
      You have eyes or not? I hope you do know how to read english…

      I like how Pakistan Today focussed on the energy seminar and its presentation, unlike others which managed nothing but once again showing their coloured journalistic senses.

  16. Yes We can!! We should now focus on alternative energy sources like spotted in #PTI energy seminar.switching from 4500MW of expensive imported furnace oil generation to cheaper coal will reduce cost of generation by Rs 475bn annually. Further i dont agree that we need to import coal as said by Tareen rnt we self sufficient with coal?
    These short term plans by current govt on the name of Rental PP are just for making money n corruption. as it was never a solution to the problem. Improving generation efficency will defenitely reduce the power shortage.
    Good to see PTI planning before comming to Power but its still to be wittnessed either they can do it or!! Hope for the Best from Last hope we are left with.

    • Current installed thermal units in the country are not designed to use Thar coal! Thar coal best use is gasification and making diesel from it as Dr Sumarmund experimented.

  17. HE TAKES TEN YEARS TO TALK OF PROBLEM AFTER CONSOLIDATING ZARDARI-MQM,ANP,MLCTHE CORRUPT ENEMIES OF POOR.HE IS ALSO BILLIONAIRE,ENEMY OF POOR BUT HIMSELF SURROUNDED BY MULTI BILLIONAIRS LIKE MQM WHO ARE FUNDED BY MURDERERS,THUGS ALSO.THEY ARE ALL ALIKE INCLUDING NAWAZ SHARIF,THE SELFISH.ONLY ONE MAN LOOKS HONEST.POOR ANNONYMOUS MAN WHO SENDS REVERBERATION THE AIRS OF PAKISTAN FOR POOR AND PAKISTAN.WHO IS WHO.WHY DO NOT YOU SEEK AND FOLLOW HIM?FIND HIM.

  19. IMRAN KHAN IS COMMITTED AND HONEST PERSON. INSHALLAH, HE WILL DO WHAT HE SAID.
    LET,S SUPPORT PTI AND TRY TO BRING REAL CHANGE IN OUR BELOVED PAKISTAN.

    • minister himself can't do anything unless backed up by higher authorities which were musharaf, that's just common sense mate.

  27. The energy losses are much more than 20% than as stated. Mr Tareen as mentioned above has been a tested player in various governments and has not delivered in the last two decades so for him to say all this makes me wonder. Imran should have faith and instead of taking support from establishment should have fielded a raw team like Bhutto or to some extent Nawaz Sharif did. Further, he himself lives in 300 kanals and has issues with others living in such houses. His personal friends are all bank defaulters too….one of them is living in his house too….it will be hard for him to defend all of them. IK has other sides too…..plus he is too full of himself….one should be humble no matter what. Wait till the other side is also presented before the media.

  28. At least some positive change in the political scenario and culture, but I think PPP has already devised its energy policy and there'll be no energy problem as this is the last year before election.

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