The public has heaved a sigh of relief with end of power outages following the arrival of LNG shipment in the country.
For households and industries alike, restoration of a stable electricity supply has brought much-needed comfort and continuity to daily life and economic activity. This improvement, while welcome, should not be seen as a permanent fix but rather as an opportunity to pursue deeper and lasting reforms in the power sector.
In this context, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directive to formulate a comprehensive strategy for stabilising electricity tariffs is indeed necessary. The focus on reducing line losses, improving transmission systems and adopting modern technology points to structural inefficiencies that must be addressed. However, these goals will require consistent implementation and strong institutional commitment. There is no denying that high electricity tariffs have become a heavy burden on consumers.
Many households are already struggling to manage their monthly expenses. Any further increase in electricity prices would be difficult for consumers to bear. Affordability must therefore remain a central pillar of any strategy. The warning by Minister for Power Awais Leghari that reliance on costly fuels could place additional financial strain on consumers highlights a key concern. Pakistan’s dependence on expensive fuel sources, particularly furnace oil, has repeatedly led to rising generation costs. In this regard, government should ensure timely import of LNG to avoid reverting to more expensive alternatives. While not a complete solution, LNG offers a relatively more cost-effective option for maintaining supply in the short term. At the same time, greater emphasis must be placed on renewable energy and indigenous resources. Solar power, in particular, has already played a significant role in reducing pressure on national grid. In the context of ongoing US-Iran tensions, the country’s situation could have been far more difficult had many consumers not shifted to solar energy in recent years.
Rather than creating uncertainty or suspicion around solar policy, the government should actively encourage this transition by extending facilities, offering incentives and ensuring policy consistency. By combining immediate measures such as stable LNG imports with a long-term commitment to renewable energy, Pakistan can reduce its reliance on imported fuels and move toward a more sustainable and resilient system. The PM’s call for a comprehensive strategy must now translate into practical steps that prioritise affordability, reliability and energy independence for future needs.
