Shehbaz orders power sector reforms to enhance electricity efficiency, boost industry and agriculture, and strengthen Pakistan’s economic growth and exports.
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday renewed his government’s focus on overhauling Pakistan’s power sector, describing energy reform as the cornerstone of a strategy to revive the country’s industrial and agricultural output. Chairing a detailed review meeting in Islamabad, Sharif directed the Power Division to develop a comprehensive policy framework aimed at using electricity more efficiently to spur growth, boost exports, and create jobs.
The prime minister said that Pakistan’s economic progress hinged on the productive use of its existing energy resources, noting that vast power generation capacity remained underutilised due to inefficiencies and policy gaps. “We must ensure the maximum positive utilisation of our energy potential to strengthen industry and agriculture,” he told the participants, calling for measures that would translate energy availability into tangible economic gains.
According to officials present at the meeting, the upcoming reform package will seek to address chronic issues that have long undermined the sector, including transmission losses, circular debt, and poor planning. The prime minister was briefed on ongoing consultations with stakeholders and the initial outlines of the proposed framework, which will include incentives for industries that adopt energy-efficient technologies and mechanisms to make electricity pricing more rational and predictable.
Sharif stressed that the power sector could no longer operate in isolation from broader economic goals. He said that ensuring affordable and uninterrupted energy for factories, businesses, and farms was vital to increasing Pakistan’s export capacity and restoring investor confidence. “Our aim is not just to generate more power, but to use it wisely—to power the economy, create livelihoods, and improve the lives of our citizens,” he remarked.
The meeting was attended by key ministers and officials, including Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Leghari, Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema, and Special Assistant for Industry Haroon Akhtar. Participants reviewed the status of ongoing projects and discussed how to integrate renewable energy sources into the national grid to reduce costs and dependence on imported fuel.
Sharif directed the energy ministry to finalise a detailed roadmap that would transform the power sector from a financial burden into an engine of growth. He said the government’s approach must be forward-looking, balancing immediate relief for industries with long-term sustainability.
With Pakistan’s economy under strain from rising energy costs and sluggish growth, the prime minister’s push signalled a renewed political will to turn one of the country’s biggest challenges into a driver of national recovery.
