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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called energy security a vital part of the country’s future planning, saying that the government’s timely measures regarding energy conservation in the current regional situation averted a crisis.
The prime minister, chairing a high-level meeting regarding energy security, said that work was underway on a plan to maintain strategic reserves of crude oil in the country, keeping in view future energy needs.
Besides, he said that for energy conservation and sustainable development, means of transportation should be gradually transitioned to eco-friendly electric vehicles (EVs).
The prime minister directed the purchase of only electric buses and motorcycles for government use in the future and accelerate the establishment of charging stations for EVs.
Calling for a strategy to facilitate the acquisition of batteries for the storage of surplus solar electricity, he said that local manufacturing of high-quality storage batteries should also be encouraged.
During the briefing, the participants of the meeting were told that the National Coordination and Management Council (NCMC) was reviewing the energy situation on a daily basis.
It was informed that sufficient stocks of petroleum products were available, and the food security situation in the country was also stable.
The participants were told that through the continuous efforts of oil and gas companies, local production of gas and oil was increasing and a PC-I was being prepared for two pilot projects for battery storage at the grid level.
Besides, the domestic consumers generating solar energy were being encouraged to install battery storage.
Federal ministers Musadik Masood Malik, Ahad Khan Cheema, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Sardar Awais Leghari, Attaullah Tarar, Ali Pervez Malik, Ahsan Iqbal, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali, Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, and relevant senior government officials attended the meeting.
Last month, PM Shehbaz announced a range of measures to conserve fuel as Pakistan moves to mitigate the fallout from the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The wide-ranging austerity and fuel conservation plan includes a four-day workweek, early closure of markets, a cut in fuel allowance and a 20% reduction in all government departments’ expenditures. Citing impacts of disruptions to the global oil supply chain, Pakistan also jacked up the prices of petroleum products.
The measures come as Pakistan moves to mitigate the impact of rising global fuel and energy costs, triggered by the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The turmoil in the Gulf region has led to a spike in global oil and energy prices, with countries around the world rushing to ration fuel and energy.
The more than month-old conflict erupted after the United States and Israel launched joint attacks on Iran on February 28.
In its response, Tehran targeted US bases across the Gulf region and effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil and energy shipping.
