Energy policies without efficacy.

• Author: Ahmed, Khalil

Byline: Khalil Ahmed

According to a conservative estimate, Pakistan loses approximately 2 percent of its GDP growth every year by virtue of energy conundrum. This issue has persisted for last two decades, to say the least. As per the world standards, even the worst problems can be addressed in less than a decade. Pakistan's energy issues seem far from over. A deluge of empty promises have been made by successive governments over the period regarding the elimination of electricity load shedding but in vain.

Pakistan's energy policies in multifarious tenures seem to be only on paper. National Energy Policy 2013-18 during the preceding Government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz was announced with much fanfare. 'Roshan Pakistan' was the slogan and there was emphasis on the energy challenges and energy management. It was proclaimed that there would be amend to load shedding till 2017 and surplus electricity would be available in 2018. Someone needs to answer this since load shedding is as prevalent today as it was in 2013 and prior to it.

Energy Policy 2010-13 was announced during the tenure of Pakistan Peoples' Party. A three-day national energy conference was held in Islamabad under the auspices of Yousuf Raza Gilani, the then prime minister. Energy experts were invited with inundation of fanfare and the promises never to be fulfilled were made. The energy minister used to reiterate on national media regarding the efficacy of policy and the subsequent benefits. The energy minister used to announce the month and the year for the abolition of the energy crisis. Nothing concrete was witnessed except the promises.

Moreover former prime minister Shaukat Aziz in 2005 came up with the so-called long-term energy security program with the robust focus on the development of the power infrastructure and privatization of the energy sector. It was envisaged that the long-awaited abundance of energy would be ensured in the not-too-distant future. Result is still awaited.

Energy policy in 1994 by the late Prime Minister Ms. Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan Peoples' Party received a widespread denunciation by various quarters in those days, however, there are mixed opinions about the policy today. It is deemed Pakistan's first ever and the largest energy conservation program to produce 13,000MW.

In the 1960s, the focus was on the production of electricity through the hydroelectric dams and thermal power stations. In the following two decades, nuclear sources also...