ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that the government was bringing reforms in the energy sector to reduce power losses electricity tariffs.
He made this statement while meeting a delegation of foreign energy experts led by former Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri at the PM House in Islamabad, the capital of the country.
The Prime Minister highlighted that circular debt, line losses, and electricity theft are the major challenges facing Pakistan’s energy sector. Stressing the critical role of the energy sector in the country’s economic growth and development, he reiterated his government’s commitment to reducing circular debt and enhancing the efficiency of electricity bill collection personnel.
Shehbaz Sharif emphasized that privatizing and outsourcing power distribution companies is a top government priority. He noted the government’s intention to leverage Georgian expertise in this area.
He also underscored the government’s desire to promote alternative energy sources, particularly solar energy, to decrease reliance on costly energy sources. Additionally, the Prime Minister expressed a commitment to fostering public-private partnerships within the energy sector.
The premier instructed federal ministers to engage with the delegation on fundamental energy sector reforms and to develop a comprehensive strategy for implementing these reforms promptly.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervaiz Malik, and other relevant high-ranking officials.
