The end of the budget year in Pakistan is showing that industrial growth has remained well below the awaited and needed level. This is not really a surprise because it is common knowledge that the industrial sector in our country is working much below its installed capacity due to heavy load-shedding which has caused low productivity, un-employment in the work force, the decrease in exports and ultimately the economic growth has been hampered as a result of the persisting energy crisis. While preparing the coming budget the government that made economic progress its main task when it came to power it now promised a scheme for un-interrupted power supply to Pakistani industries. This promise though it has been welcomed by Mian Idrees, President of FPCCI seems not to be very credible and we have heard it before also.
It is not clear if the government or even the apex trade body leaders are aware of the amount of energy needed to fulfill this promise to make the wheel of productivity move at least. On the other hand, it is clear as well that energy production will not be extended so fast with the consequence that if now the industry will get all energy it needs the population will have to suffer. If the fraud produced by the successive PPP governments regarding the IPP’s and the Rental Power Projects that is until today unpunished is any guide to the future then we are doomed.
If the government is little serious about the economic welfare of the state they should provide uninterrupted security to citizens so that the national production index is increased. A major policy that is all together missing in the official plans is the upgrading of electricity lines so that transmission and distribution loss of already produced power is minimalised. Besides, energy intensive gadgets and input cost on catering for such useless things must be discouraged and energy theft and unpaid bills – like for instance by the government itself- has to be avoided and punished. Those are measures that have more prospect of success if initiated. But it doesn’t look likely to happen in the presence of this set of our self-seekers and hangers on occupying the driving seat.
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
Karachi