This government has been in power for over 4 years, which is more than the tenure of any elected civil government in power for the past 20 years. Yet in these four years, instead of installing cheaper electricity power generation units, based on indigenous resources, it opted for expensive rental power, because of attractive kickbacks for a few. It blames another government, which was in power for 2 years and 8 months, almost 12 years ago, for turning down the Thar Coal project, but has itself done nothing except for politicking on it. They could have started construction of small run-of-the-river dams for cheaper hydro electric power generation, but did nothing except going for setting up more expensive thermal power generation based on imported furnace oil.
While it is true that this government inherited an energy crisis from the military junta of Musharraf, it is also a sad reality that they have only worsened this crisis. The rental power units that have been installed only produce less than 10% of the capacity for which they get paid a guaranteed lump sum, because of defective contracts negotiated by corrupt ministers and cronies of this regime. Pakistan’s economy has suffered more from the incompetence and corruption of its own government than the loss caused to us by external terrorism.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
