Energetic advances

Pakistan holds immense poten­tial in energy, capable of pro­ducing 50,000 MW of hydropow­er. In 2012, our electricity capacity was 22,000 MW, and by 2023, it has surged to 39,000 MW.

To meet interim needs, we re­sorted to thermal energy, result­ing in a significant spike in bills. Unfortunately, only 2% of females are engaged in the sector, signaling a concerning gender dispari­ty. Qualified women should be ac­tively recruited.

Our failure to devise a compre­hensive plan for hydropower gen­eration has led to a shift towards renewable energy. There’s an ur­gent need to privatise the sec­tor and address internal issues in WAPDA, such as common line losses and theft.

The current government de­serves credit for recovering 42 bil­lion from individuals involved in theft and non-payments. To alle­viate public suffering, hydropow­er should be prioritised.

The construction of Basha and Dassu Neelum Jhelum projects will usher in a new era. Install­ing the latest equipment to reduce electricity costs is also essential.

SHAKIR H SHAMIM

SKARDU