Minister for Energy (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari emphasised the need for accurate and balanced reporting on Pakistan’s power sector, stating that misinformation and incomplete analyses often contribute to public misconceptions regarding electricity pricing, reforms, and sector performance.
Speaking at a workshop on “Training Media Personnel on Power Sector Fundamentals” organised by the Lahore University of Management Sciences Energy Institute (LEI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), the minister said the government remained committed to ensuring transparent and factual communication regarding developments in the energy sector.
He said the government planned to shift 10 million electricity consumers to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meters during the current year as part of ongoing reforms aimed at improving efficiency and transparency in the power sector.
The minister further stated that no new imported fuel-based Independent Power Producers (IPPs) would be established in the future. He added that agreements with most IPPs had already been renegotiated, resulting in projected savings of approximately Rs3.5 trillion for electricity consumers over the next 10 to 15 years.
Referring to renewable energy initiatives, he said the recently introduced solar policy would not slow the pace of solar adoption in the country. He also reaffirmed the government’s support for investment in battery energy storage systems and said efforts were underway to provide more affordable electricity to industrial and commercial consumers during daytime hours.
The workshop brought together journalists from print, electronic, and digital media organisations, along with students of media sciences, to discuss Pakistan’s electricity sector, including generation, transmission, distribution, tariff mechanisms, subsidies, circular debt, distributed solar, and ongoing market reforms.
Additional Secretary, Ministry of Energy (Power Division), Mahfooz Bhatti highlighted the importance of informed journalism in strengthening public understanding of the energy sector.
Technical sessions were conducted by energy experts, including Dr Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Chairman Board of Directors, National Grid Company of Pakistan (NGC) and Senior Advisor at LEI; Naveed Qaiser, Chief Corporate Finance and Regulatory Affairs at Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC); Umer Farooq, System Planning Consultant at Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO); and Omer Haroon Malik, Executive Director, Market Operations, ISMO.
Dr Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry said demand-side management, efficient electricity consumption, and consumer-side reforms were critical for addressing Pakistan’s energy challenges and ensuring long-term sustainability. He noted that capacity building of media professionals was essential given the complexity of the power sector.
The speakers discussed Pakistan’s power system capacity and dispatch logic, tariff design, subsidies, circular debt, distributed solar, electrification, and future market reforms.
Participants also engaged in an interactive question-and-answer session with the experts to gain deeper insight into the challenges and opportunities facing Pakistan’s power sector.
Energy Advisor to the Power Division, Syed Faizan Ali, delivered a presentation on the future of Pakistan’s power sector and outlined policy initiatives aimed at improving efficiency, affordability, and sustainability.