Energy policy of Pakistan

Several mandates and proposals have been called over the years to overlook the energy conservation, such as neon signs were banned and the official weekend was extended from one to two days in an attempt to conserve electricity (Gillani, 2010)[2] and reducing the electricity load used by industrial units by 25% during peak hours (Aziz, 2007),[3] but no comprehensive long-term energy strategies were implemented.

[5] In the 1960s, a large civilian energy input and infrastructure was built by the Pakistan military, with the financial funds provided by various countries and international monetary sources.

[7] According to the economic statistics provided by economist, Sartaj Aziz, this mix was reversed from 60:40 to 30:70 in favour of thermal capacity based on imported fuel.

[7] Every year, this ratio went down further to 20:80 in winter months as hydropower generation was reduced due to lower water flows in the rivers.

In 2001, the military government led by President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, while contributing to the growth of domestic demand for electricity through large-scale provision of bank loans for the purchase of air-conditioners and home appliances (share of domestic energy consumption had jumped to 46% of the total by 2008), did not add any new capacity to the energy system.

[10] Controversially, this program was aimed to raise dependence on imported oil from the Arab countries for power generation to be increased by 50.1% by 2013.

[10] In 2006, Prime Minister Aziz held conversation with the officials of the Saudi Ministry of Petroleum and invited Ali Al-Naimi to invest in country's energy sector.

[12] After the general elections held in 2008, the mismanagement and weak policies led to an intense repetitive cycle of loadshedding in the country.

Responding to a massive demonstration against the loadshedding and the growing power shortages in the country, Prime Minister, Yousaf Gilani announced the "energy policy" on 22 April 2010.

[2] With immediate effect, the gaseous Neon lights and the signs were banned and the official weekend was extended from one to two days in an attempt to conserve electricity.

[20] This tenure's energy policy was aimed at aggressively building power generation capacity through early-harvest projects in CPEC.

There was no viable overhaul done to the electricity transport infrastructure which lead to episodes of plant tripping and extended blackouts during the summer months.

[28] At the same time as the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Pakistan has strengthened energy cooperation with Russia and Central Asian countries and imported electricity from Iran.

[35] 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.

[41] Since the early 1990s, the country has observed the highest growth rate in usage of computers that effect the supply of the electricity produced in the system.

[43] In the days following the announcement, traders in Lahore rejected the government's decision and kept the markets open after 8 pm in defiance of the ban.

Kashif Shabbir, president of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce warned the situation would get worse if authorities used force to implement the decision.

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.

[50] During June 2012, President Asif Ali Zardari had said that the government realised the enormity of the challenge of energy shortage and was determined to overcome it in the shortest possible time.

Pakistan started importing discounted Russian oil in June 2023 to prevent energy price hikes caused by the economic crisis.