ISLAMABAD, Oct 15: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Planning Commission held a meeting here on Wednesday ahead of the Pak-US Energy Dialogue, set up by President George Bush during his visit to Islamabad in March 2006.

The initiative aims to provide an opportunity to US petroleum companies to take advantage of investment potentials in the country’s oil and gas sectors.USAID’s mission director Anne H. Aarnes assured Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission M. Salman Faruqui that the agency would increase its assistance in the energy sector.

Mr Faruqui said Pakistan needed a fast-track power generation programme to overcome the current energy shortage.

He informed the delegation that the government planned to introduce mass transit programmes to save energy and provide easy and cheap transportation to the general public.

An official announcement quoted Ms Aarnes as saying that the USAID would focus on boosting Pakistan’s energy efficiency and capacity under the Energy Development Programme.

She said the USAID would provide two technical experts supported by short-term technical assistance for formulating and implementing energy strategy.

The technical assistance will also cover feasibility studies in energy resource development, energy efficiency, transactions support and pricing.

The energy efficiency and capacity component of USAID will develop the private sector market for energy efficiency by facilitating firms and conducting public information campaigns on energy efficiency, including plans to minimise damage to business from blackouts. Capacity-building activities will assist power sector companies to implement coordinated training programmes.