Privatisation, outsourcing of power utilities top priority: PM Shehbaz

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif said that privatisation and outsourcing of the power distribution companies is the top priority of the government, ARY News reported.

Speaking to a delegation of foreign experts in the energy sector, led by former Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri at the PM House, the prime minister said that Pakistan wants to take benefit from the Georgian experience in the energy sector.

He said that the government is bringing reforms in the energy sector to reduce electricity charges. PM Shehbaz said that that circular debt, line losses and electricity theft are the major challenges in Pakistan’s energy sector.

Emphasising the importance of the energy sector for the country’s economic growth and development, the prime minister expressed his government’s commitment to implementing policies that reduce circular debt and improve the efficiency of electricity bill collection.

The prime minister expressed his government’s desire to promote alternative energy sources, particularly solar energy, and reduce reliance on expensive energy sources.

He said the government would also promote public private partnership in the energy sector.

The prime minister directed the federal ministers to consult with the delegation regarding the basic reforms of the energy sector in the country and to set up a comprehensive strategy regarding these reforms immediately.

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, Power Minisetr Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervaiz Malik, and relevant high officials attended the meeting.

Earlier, PM Shehbaz said that in Pakistan, desertification, land degradation, and drought were significant challenges that affected millions of lives and reiterated that the government was dedicated to addressing these issues through sustainable land management practices, reforestation programs, and innovative agricultural techniques.

“We are committed to achieving land degradation neutrality and enhancing the resilience of our communities,” he said in a message on observance of Desertification and Drought Day 2024 on June 17.

Today, the prime minister said on Desertification and Drought Day 2024, they came together to emphasise the critical importance of land stewardship under the theme “United for Land. Our Legacy. Our Future.”