Privatisation will save Pakistan’s power sector, says Miftah Ismail
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Thursday Feb 18, 2021
Experts weigh in on Pakistan s power sector problems in webinar, Pakistan’s Power Policies Ensuring Access and Affordability
Former finance minister Miftah Ismail says 12% of electricity consumers in Pakistan not even paying their bills
World Bank energy specialist says overreaching influence of government and ministry creating problems for institutions such as Nepra
KARACHI: Former finance minister Miftah Ismail says the power sector in Pakistan should move towards privatisation to solve its long-standing issues.
Ismail said this during a webinar, Pakistan’s Power Policies Ensuring Access and Affordability , in Karachi on Wednesday.
Business
February 18, 2021
KARACHI: The government needs to get out of the power sectorâs business to bring perennial structural problems to an end once and for all, energy experts said on Wednesday.
Speakers, during a webinar, agreed that the government should gradually privatise power sector to improve its efficiency.
âOverreaching influence of the government and the ministry is creating problems for institutions, like Nepra [National Electric Power Regulatory Authority],â said Saadia Qayyum, energy specialist at the World Bank. âWe need to strengthen Nepraâs capability. At times, governments do not notify changes in tariffs due to political and other reasons.â The webinar was titled âPakistanâs power policiesâensuring access and affordabilityâ. Miftah Ismail, former finance minister said the power sector should move towards the privatisation in order to solve its long-standing issues. âAlbeit challenging, this needs to be