Pakistan national energy policy
Encyclopedia
The Pakistan national energy policy was announced on April 22, 2010, by Prime Minister of Pakistan
, Yousaf Raza Gillani
in response to growing power shortages in the country. The announcement was made after a three day conference in Islamabad
that discussed the causes of the power crisis in Pakistan
and possible steps to relieve it. Neon sign
s were banned and the official weekend was extended from one to two days in an attempt to conserve electricity.
s that have paralysed industry and led to protests and rioting. Power outage
s can last 6–8 hours a day in the cities and many more in the rural areas. According to Mahnaz Parach of Network for Consumer Protection "Children can't do their homework. Housework doesn't get done, as washing machines and other appliances cannot work. When you go home from work, you have no idea whether there will be electricity at home. Your whole life is disturbed."
Experts have warned of an impending energy crisis since 2006. Speaking at a Seminar 'Fueling the Future: Meeting Pakistan's Energy Needs in the 21st Century' held in Washington, D.C.
in June 2006 then energy adviser to the prime minister of Pakistan Mukhtar Ahmed stated that the country was taking steps to address the energy shortage. Pakistan Electric Power Company estimates that there is a shortage of 6 gigawatts or about 60% of its total generation. One of the main reasons of the shortage is thought to be the failure of past governments to anticipate growth in need and the delay in implementation of projects to increase power production. In addition there is widespread power theft and lack of investment in the existing power grid.
The United States has made improving Pakistan's power infrastructure one of its top priorities. US special envoy Richard Holbrooke
, while describing the power situation in Pakistan as "unacceptable," has stated that the US would go to its "absolute limits" to help Pakistan overcome the crisis.
s and decorative lights have been banned. Power has been cut to government offices by 50% and air conditioners will only be allowed to be switched on after . Street markets have been asked to close early. Commercial centers except drug stores will be closed at and wedding celebrations will be limited to three hours. The government will pay off its debt to power producers allowing them to pay fuel suppliers. Power supply to Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi
will be decreased by 300 megawatts in order to allow fairer distribution of power to the remaining parts of the country. Tube well
s will not be allowed to operate from to . The measures will be reviewed on July 30, 2010.
rejected the government's decision and kept the markets open after in defiance of the ban. Shops were kept open in other cities also after . Kashif Shabbir, president of the Rawalpindi
Chamber of Commerce warned the situation would get worse if authorities used force to implement the decision. There was confusion over implementation of the two day weekend, and many banks and educational institutions remained open. Commenting on the defiant mood of the traders, an editorial in Dawn
urged everybody to find middle ground.
Reacting to the decision to curtail power supply to Karachi, the "City of Lights", leaders of various political parties in the Provincial Assembly of Sindh
condemned the decision and some of them called it "a conspiracy to create a law and order situation." Former Nazim of Karachi, Naimatullah Khan
warned that curtailing the power supply of the city could lead to street battles between protesters and law enforcement.
Some analysts have predicted that reduction in the banks' workweek to 5 days will result in revenue losses.
Prime Minister of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan , is the Head of Government of Pakistan who is designated to exercise as the country's Chief Executive. By the Constitution of Pakistan, Pakistan has the parliamentary democratic system of government...
, Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousaf Raza Gillani
Yousuf Raza Gilani is the current prime minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was nominated as Prime Minister by the PPP, with the support of its coalition partners, Pakistan Muslim League , Awami National Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Muttahida Qaumi Movement, on 22 March 2008...
in response to growing power shortages in the country. The announcement was made after a three day conference in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
that discussed the causes of the power crisis in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and possible steps to relieve it. Neon sign
Neon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
s were banned and the official weekend was extended from one to two days in an attempt to conserve electricity.
Background
Due to rising demand and a failing power infrastructure severe electricity shortages have occurred in Pakistan. This has led to widespread rolling blackoutRolling blackout
A rolling blackout, also referred to as load shedding, is an intentionally-engineered electrical power outage where electricity delivery is stopped for non-overlapping periods of time over geographical regions. Rolling blackouts are a last-resort measure used by an electric utility company in order...
s that have paralysed industry and led to protests and rioting. Power outage
Power outage
A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
s can last 6–8 hours a day in the cities and many more in the rural areas. According to Mahnaz Parach of Network for Consumer Protection "Children can't do their homework. Housework doesn't get done, as washing machines and other appliances cannot work. When you go home from work, you have no idea whether there will be electricity at home. Your whole life is disturbed."
Experts have warned of an impending energy crisis since 2006. Speaking at a Seminar 'Fueling the Future: Meeting Pakistan's Energy Needs in the 21st Century' held in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in June 2006 then energy adviser to the prime minister of Pakistan Mukhtar Ahmed stated that the country was taking steps to address the energy shortage. Pakistan Electric Power Company estimates that there is a shortage of 6 gigawatts or about 60% of its total generation. One of the main reasons of the shortage is thought to be the failure of past governments to anticipate growth in need and the delay in implementation of projects to increase power production. In addition there is widespread power theft and lack of investment in the existing power grid.
The United States has made improving Pakistan's power infrastructure one of its top priorities. US special envoy Richard Holbrooke
Richard Holbrooke
Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke was an American diplomat, magazine editor, author, professor, Peace Corps official, and investment banker....
, while describing the power situation in Pakistan as "unacceptable," has stated that the US would go to its "absolute limits" to help Pakistan overcome the crisis.
Measures
Measures are aimed at cutting consumption by 500 megawatts. The official weekend has been extended from one to two days. Neon signNeon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
s and decorative lights have been banned. Power has been cut to government offices by 50% and air conditioners will only be allowed to be switched on after . Street markets have been asked to close early. Commercial centers except drug stores will be closed at and wedding celebrations will be limited to three hours. The government will pay off its debt to power producers allowing them to pay fuel suppliers. Power supply to Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
will be decreased by 300 megawatts in order to allow fairer distribution of power to the remaining parts of the country. Tube well
Tube well
A tube well is a type of water well in which a long 100–200 mm wide stainless steel tube or pipe is bored into the underground aquifer. The lower end is fitted with a strainer, and a pump at the top lifts water for irrigation...
s will not be allowed to operate from to . The measures will be reviewed on July 30, 2010.
Response
In the days following the announcement, traders in LahoreLahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
rejected the government's decision and kept the markets open after in defiance of the ban. Shops were kept open in other cities also after . Kashif Shabbir, president of the Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
Chamber of Commerce warned the situation would get worse if authorities used force to implement the decision. There was confusion over implementation of the two day weekend, and many banks and educational institutions remained open. Commenting on the defiant mood of the traders, an editorial in Dawn
Dawn (newspaper)
Dawn is Pakistan's oldest and most widely read English-language newspaper. One of the country's two largest English-language dailies, it is the flagship of the Dawn Group of Newspapers, published by Pakistan Herald Publications, which also owns the Herald, a magazine, the evening paper The Star and...
urged everybody to find middle ground.
Reacting to the decision to curtail power supply to Karachi, the "City of Lights", leaders of various political parties in the Provincial Assembly of Sindh
Provincial Assembly of Sindh
The Provincial Assembly of the Sindh is a unicameral house of elected representatives of people of Sindh established under Article 106 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan...
condemned the decision and some of them called it "a conspiracy to create a law and order situation." Former Nazim of Karachi, Naimatullah Khan
Naimatullah Khan
Niamthullah Khan was the Nazim of largest city of Pakistan, Karachi from August 2001-June 2005. He graduated from Punjab University with a Masters in Journalism and a Law Degree from Karachi University. He is lawyer by profession. He is the chairman of the biggest NGO of Pakistan, Alkhidmat...
warned that curtailing the power supply of the city could lead to street battles between protesters and law enforcement.
Some analysts have predicted that reduction in the banks' workweek to 5 days will result in revenue losses.
External links
- Video: Pakistan's Power Crisis, The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
,April 26, 2010 - Video: Power cuts anger Pakistan traders, Al Jazeera English, April 22, 2010
- Energy crisis in Pakistan in Pictures
- PowerSave.pk Awareness Campaign by PEPCO