The alleged losses of over Rs4 trillion are many times more than any financial scam inquiry report in Pakistan’s history. While the alleged losses made headlines, a vital part of the committee’s report, which relates to the way forward and reforms, has mostly been ignored by the press. The key reforms suggested include the future role of the government in the power sector, restructuring of the power ministry to make it more expertise-driven and putting greater emphasis on transmission rather than generation. Notwithstanding this impediment, the committee was able to critically review all the six power policies and balance sheets of most of the IPPs. Although all the power policies have been mired in controversies since their announcements, particularly the earliest one of 1994, these policies did make considerable progress in alleviating the energy crisis.

Source: The Express Tribune May 04, 2020 04:41 UTC