Report: ANI Correspondent:
ISLAMABAD –Parliamentarians and energy experts have urged the government to avoid long-term energy contracts that could bind Pakistan to costly take-or-pay obligations and increase circular debt. They called for a more flexible policy for LNG and other fuel imports.
The views were expressed at a dialogue titled “The Sun and the Pipeline,” organised by the Parliamentary Forum on Energy and Economy at Serena Hotel, Islamabad. The discussion focused on Pakistan’s changing RLNG requirements, global market volatility and the future of the country’s energy sector.
Parliamentary Forum Convener Dr. Nafisa Shah said Pakistan has installed an estimated 50 GW of solar capacity and its energy policies must be aligned with this changing reality to provide affordable electricity to consumers.
Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry said Pakistan should not view solar and gas as competing alternatives, but should integrate solar power, pipelines, the national grid and modern technologies to develop an affordable, reliable and secure energy system.
Energy experts Muhammad Arif, Asim Riaz, Seb Kennedy, Huma Chughtai, Mobeen Arif Jutt and Syed Faizan Shah also stressed greater flexibility, structural reforms, battery storage and the expansion of indigenous solar generation.
The experts said solar energy has not eliminated Pakistan’s need for LNG but has changed its demand, volume and usage pattern. The dialogue was attended by parliamentarians, experts, civil society representatives and academics.
