Bilateral ties: Pakistan’s energy crisis is focal concern, US

Olson says his country will add almost 900 megawatts to the national grid by the end of 2013.

PESHAWAR:

US Ambassador Richard Olson said on Wednesday that his country has specially focused on Pakistan’s energy sector for a while, and has been a good, consistent partner to the developing nation in this regard.

He expressed these views in response to a question about the Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline on Wednesday, while talking to journalists during a day-long visit to the provincial capital.

“We will add almost 900 megawatts to the national grid by the end of the year, besides our contribution in the construction and renovation of dams,” he said.

The ambassador added that discussions on this issue would not be conducted through the press but on a government-to-government level.

“If you like to take a look at the sanctions – they are available to [be] read – we have an appreciation of the energy situation in the country, [the] energy issue will be the foremost for any new government in Pakistan,” he said.

Additionally, he said the Gwadar deep seaport is a commercial development and the US will be delighted if goods from as far as Central Asia start going through this route.

Olson also commented on the electoral season, currently at its peak. According to him, the US is fully supportive of democratic politics. “The transfer of power from one civilian government to another is the key to promoting democracy, we’re not backing any party but backing democracy,” he said.

Ambassador Olson also spoke about the government’s move for talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and claimed his meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman was merely a part of his regular sets of contact meetings.

He said he was not aware of any details regarding meetings between the TTP and the government. “The US does not have a position on domestic discussions between the TTP and the government of Pakistan,” he said.

Olson went on to add that TTP Swat leader Fazlullah is on his country’s target priority list and they would take him off the ground if they had actual on-ground intelligence.

Afghanistan after 2014

Ambassador Olson said although the US prefers dialogue with the Afghan Taliban, “one can both talk and fight at the same time, [there is no] contradiction.”

According to him, the ball is now in the Taliban’s court.

He added that post-2014 will be a different type of engagement in Afghanistan. There is no commitment from America as yet. The nature of commitments will depend mostly on the Afghan government.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2013.