Achi news desk-
Given our critical financial circumstances, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent address to the energy industry to reduce Pakistan’s astronomical $27 billion oil import bill through robust renewable energy management is long overdue. There is no doubt that switching to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydel would reduce our unsustainable need for imported oil. The change will not only reduce the financial damage caused by oil imports but also free us from the control of the “mafia” of crude oil tankers, which the prime minister has described as parasitic organizations that depleting our resources. Moreover, he has emphasized the need for all states to put an end to power theft, an administrative issue that contributes significantly to power cuts.
Achieving these essential steps requires careful action and steadfast dedication. The directive to bring in top consultants to improve the nation’s power transmission system emphasizes the need for technical know-how in modernizing our aging infrastructure, which raises energy costs due to distribution losses. Any increase in power generation would be meaningless without this. Furthermore, although switching from imported to domestic coal helps to save money abroad, the environmental effects of this switch should be carefully considered. Better to have a moderate approach that gradually replaces coal with greener options. More ambitious measures are also desperately needed. Greener technology could be adopted more quickly, for example, if private investment in renewable projects is encouraged. Therefore, the move to renewable energy would be enhanced by a comprehensive program targeted at improving energy efficiency in the commercial, residential and industrial sectors. The hope is that this new emphasis on using sustainable energy will not fade and instead lead to concrete action. Only through sustained effort can we expect to see a significant reduction in our dependence on imported fuel. The well-being of future generations and the state of our economy depend on it.
