Shehbaz Sharif has instructed officials to significantly cut electricity line losses through urgent upgrades and modernization of the transmission network across Pakistan
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed authorities to draw up what officials described as a comprehensive strategy aimed at stabilizing electricity tariffs, as his government sought to ease pressure on consumers and support industrial activity in a country long strained by energy shortages and rising costs.
Chairing a high-level meeting on energy sector reforms, the prime minister had said that uninterrupted power supply must be ensured to sustain industrial development and broader economic activity.
According to an official statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday, he had stressed that both industrial and domestic consumers should be provided with improved facilities, framing reliable electricity as a central requirement for economic recovery rather than a policy afterthought.
During the meeting, Shehbaz Sharif had instructed officials to significantly reduce line losses by upgrading and modernizing the electricity transmission system. He had emphasized that inefficiencies in the grid had long contributed to financial strain on the sector and ultimately fed into higher tariffs for end users.
The PM had also pushed for the wider adoption of modern technology within the energy sector, suggesting that digital monitoring and improved management systems were essential to reduce wastage and improve accountability.
The prime minister had further directed the acceleration of renewable energy projects, describing them as a necessary response to Pakistan’s persistent energy shortfall and its dependence on expensive imported fuels. He had said that expanding clean energy capacity would not only diversify the energy mix but also help stabilize long-term costs.
In addition, Shehbaz Sharif had called for the expansion of digital services for consumers, particularly in relation to bill payments, saying that ease of access and convenience for domestic users remained a priority for the government. He had also reiterated instructions for strict action against electricity theft, describing it as a key factor undermining the financial viability of the power sector.
The directives had come a day after Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari warned that continued reliance on costly fuels could impose an additional burden on consumers. Speaking at a press briefing, he had pointed to recent improvements in fuel supply, noting the arrival of a liquefied natural gas cargo which had helped restore more stable electricity generation.
