President, Prime Minister okay Energy plan of Pakistan
Pakistan Times Staff Report

RAWALPINDI: President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday approved an action plan to meet Pakistan’s growing energy requirements in the immediate, medium-term and long-term perspectives.

The two leaders observed at a presentation on Energy Security Action Plan, that Pakistan has abundant energy resources which needed to be harnessed through an institutionalised strategy for optimum utilisation.

Under the action plan, Pakistan aims at meeting its development requirements keeping in view the international trends in the energy sector and availability of resources.

The action plan sets out to achieve exploration and maximum utilisation of indigenous resources like oil, gas and coal and alternative sources like solar and wind energy.

It will seek to increase hydel power production through construction of a series of hydropower projects and proposes to integrate coal mining in power generation.

The plan will ensure maximum participation of the private sector and emphasises development of wind and solar energy to meet at least five per cent of total energy requirements.

In his remarks, the President highlighted the fact that Pakistan has vast resources of oil, gas, coal, water and solar energy but regretted that they were not tapped in the past due to short-sighted policies. As a result, he added, the country’s development could never be optimised.

“We need to go for considered decisions for far-reaching results as we have to sustain our economic growth at healthy seven to eight per cent and above; we also have to find renewable energy resources,” he said.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz observed that the non-utilisation of renewable energy has hampered Pakistan’s economic growth and its full potential could not be realised in the past.

The Government, he said, will extend all-out support for endevours to bring into use conventional as well as alternate sources of energy.

It was decided that a pilot project based on wind energy would be established on fast-track basis for generation of 100 MW of power by December 2005.

Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Akram Sheikh presented a detailed analysis on energy situation. He underlined the need for better and efficient use of energy through improved technology.

Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi and Minster for Petroleum Amanullah Khan Jadoon and heads of energy related organisations were also present during the presentation.●