Makes sense
As severe as the problem of power shortage has become for Pakistan, any out-of-the-box solution should be given proper consideration and if found suitable, must be followed through with its implementation. The unique indigenous nature of the problem calls for the same for its solution: a different yet practicable approach suitable for our own situation. The other day, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, of all, offered a solution that might help in containing power shortage, and that fits perfectly in our situation.
A three-member bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suggested the government that it should deduct at source value of power theft in each province from their share in the divisible pool of National Finance Commission Award. As provinces often fail to meet their liabilities regarding payments for the power they get from the national grid, the implementation of such a plan which consolidates the whole system at a central point makes sense. The logic behind this suggestion is simple: as provinces are responsible for law and order, they should also be held responsible for not being able to recover the amount lost through power theft and defaults. The amount thus recovered by the federal government will help it get rid of circular debt amounting to Rs503 billion. However, to streamline the whole process, the provinces should also be made to purchase power from the national grid so they know what they are paying for. Without getting into details, the suggestion is practicable, unique and begs consideration by the government. However, as with everything related to bureaucracy and politics, this might still be put under a huge stack of suggestions waiting to see the light of the day.
While the politicians squabble over who hurt the system more than the other, the country continues to suffer from power shortages. As the mercury begins to rise again after a week of monsoon rains, the demand for power is going to rise again. With provinces getting much less than what they require, the case in favour of such a plan gets only stronger. Unless the government is able to inject the national grid with a healthy dose of electricity, from whatever source, the situation is not going to get any better. Meanwhile, the suggestion offered by the SC merits serious consideration as it solves some major problems, namely circular debt, power theft, streamlining of the process of purchasing power from the national grid and recovery of default amounts. Political considerations aside, along with bureaucratic hurdles, the decision should not be that tough. And with the new government promising to overhaul the system, now is the best time to take up on out-of-the-box solutions, like the one proposed by the SC.
