KARACHI:
Energy is critical for the economic development of any nation as it facilitates agriculture, manufacturing, and many other sectors. An energy crisis threatens the country’s survival and raises the risk of a collapse. Among other myriad challenges, Pakistan is struggling with energy management and potential shortages. The problem of the energy crisis is not confined to Pakistan alone and is affecting many countries around the world due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Pakistan’s energy problems stem from poor governance, mismanagement, and a lack of political will among the leadership. Successive governments have failed to take effective measures to resolve the country’s energy crisis to avoid risking their popularity and other potential gains. Insufficient revenues because of little tax collection have hampered energy creation and obstructed the development of crucial infrastructure. High dependence on fossil fuels to produce energy, underutilisation of natural endowments, and demand and supply mismatch have further exacerbated the issue.
However, the government can easily address these issues by taking concrete measures such as introducing an efficient management system, implementing policy actions regardless of losing political popularity, broadening the existing tax base, and utilising available options for energy generation. These measures can bring a paradigm shift in the energy sector and reduce the social and economic threats that the country will face in the near future.
Abu Bakar Sadiq
Buner
Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2023.
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