Nawaz finalises new national energy policy

E-Paper | March 20, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Friday said that the new energy policy would turn out to be “panacea of Pakistan's energy ills.”

“People and economy have suffered badly at the hands of crippling power crisis. It is high time that prudent and consistent policies were pursued to come out of this morass,” said the prime minister while chairing a high level meeting to give final touches to the new power policy here at the Prime Minister's Office in Islamabad.

The meeting not only discussed the broad contours of the new energy policy, which is expected to be revealed shortly by PM Sharif, but also analysed the minute details threadbare.

The finalised national energy policy is set to increase electricity generation to 26,800MW, reduce average electricity rates by more than 30 per cent, achieve zero loadshedding, encourage huge public and private investment and import electricity from India, Iran and Central Asian states in three years.

Those who attended the meeting include Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervez Rashid, Minister for Petroleum Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Special Advisor to PM Dr Musaddiq Malik, Shaukat Fayaz A. Tarin and other stakeholders from private and public sectors.

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Waleed

Jun 28, 2013 08:57pm

Good beginning. It is surely the priority No.1 and will solve many of the social evils emerging out of the energy crisis .............. ignored by previous Government.

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Donald H

Jun 28, 2013 11:06pm

Since Pakistan has an abundance of solar energy, I do hope that this abundance will become part of the national power plan. Solar energy is available during the peak load times during the day. Other countries, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia are using solar power in this manner. The maintenance of solar conversion is much less than other means of electric generation and it is non-polluting of the environment.

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Basir

Jun 29, 2013 12:59am

Dear Mr. Nawaz Sharif What about Pakistani Engineers/Scientist, Can't they help their own country. There is no need to look abroad. Give them task so we could show to the world that we can do. If we do not trust our engineers who will trust them and who will give them work. Our engineer are capable to make generators and engines. Please do not over look them. We must stop importing culture. We need jobs for our country not for other country I look forward to your reply. Basir Sami

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Pervaiz Lodhie

Jun 29, 2013 01:10am

All the right moves to START solving energy disaster with small steps. People will have understand that the process of fixing the energy problem will be slow and painful. I have always said that "SAVING ENERGY is same as MAKING ENERGY". People of Pakistan can ease their pain by truly partnering with PM Nawaz and his Energy Team.

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Pervaiz Lodhie

Jun 29, 2013 01:14am

People of Pakistan can ease their pain by truly partnering with PM Nawaz and his Energy Team. Best way is if in homes and retail businesses if you have 10 saver bulbs just turn OFF 5 bulbs and leave 5 ON. Collective this will help a lot and 180 million Pakistanis will instantly become private sector partners of the new government. Try it you will like it.

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Pervaiz Lodhie

Jun 29, 2013 01:12am

How can each person in Pakistan create Energy to help Pakistan out of this crisis? Very easy. I do it all the time. Every time you turn OFF a 13 watt CFL energy saver you are actually CREATING 13 Watts of ENERGY like a power plant. Its that simple. If you replace a 26 watt cfl with a 13Watt LED bulb you are generating 13 watts for Pakistan.

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Ahmer

Jun 29, 2013 01:35am

Khoda pahar nikla chuha. It is all a pipe dream. Importing electricity from Central Asian states? Will the electricity fly over Afghanistan? Has that country agreed to its transmission through its territory and how much will constructing it cost? Electricity from India will stop the day some non state actor carries out his act of violence inside India. How can Nawaz prevent that when he cannot do that even inside Pakistan?

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TamzaK

Jun 29, 2013 03:01am

"policy is set to increase electricity generation to 26,800MW, reduce average electricity rates by more than 30 per cent, achieve zero loadshedding, encourage huge public and private investment and import electricity from India, Iran and Central Asian states in three years." This sounds so much like the 1700's London Stock Market offering prospectus: "This venture will engage in business of great profit;" What they talk of here is the desired result, not the reasons and the methods. You cannot import 'electricity' from China or India or even Iran... UNLESS you have the distribution grid reaching out there and with enough capacity. Setting up distributed generation within each community is the way to go. Only a little more capital needed, but a lot of capital saved on the distribution network. Load shedding SHOULD happen at residences and offices, but NOT at industry. Residence rates should be higher. Stop the electricity theft. You increase capacity. More will be 'stolen'.

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Jun 29, 2013 06:40am

Funny, why would you import electricity from India, Iran etc when you can produce 27000 MW at the end of your 5 year tenure. Or it just for the first two years? There are projects of at least 4000 MW in pipeline which are claimed to be planned to complete within two years ( Solar: 2000, Nandipur 500, NJ 500, Sugarmills 800 div. wind 200). With an installed capacity of 21000 MW of which a big part of Thermal generation being planned to be converted to coal, Pakistan should be able to produce at least the much needed 16000 MWs.

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kirther

Jun 30, 2013 04:29am

Wrong policy instead of investing in importing power from across Afghanistan the government should concentrate on investing in developing local resources. The government should focus on making Pakistan self dependent, otherwise it will continue to depend on begging and borrowing.

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Saira

Jun 30, 2013 11:21am

I wonder being a Atomic state why we are always looking at others countries for their support,we can utilize our own resources which could create some jobs at least for our own people. We can make an atomic bomb and unable to utilize it to resolve our energy crises.Pak is rich in coal ,weshould not rely on other when the long term soloution can come from with in the country.

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