SOMETIMES institutions grow to important roles in the life of nations, but their origins and the process through which they were named remain hidden from the public eye. Let me share my own story about the naming of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra).

I recall that the name and acronym ‘Nepra’ were proposed by me informally to an eminent American law firm, Hunton & Williams, during a luncheon hosted by some of the firm’s partners during my visit to their office in Washington, DC sometime in the mid-1990s.

I was the counsel for the Pakistani government and the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) in the Hubco Power Plant when it was originally established, and also a counsel to several private-sector power projects in Pakistan. In these capacities, I was in touch with several law firms involved in these projects.

The American law firm was advising the government on the establishment of an electric power regulatory body, and the name they had planned to propose was not the one that was finally selected. I suggested the present name for the attractiveness of the convenient acronym, Nepra, which the lawyers readily felt was persuasive.

I find that casual conversations at luncheons can sometimes have an imprint on major decisions. I thought that this postscript may be of some interest to Nepra as well as the general public.

Dr Parvez Hassan
Lahore

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2024