KARACHI: Blaming outdated methods of electricity generation for costing Pakistan dearly, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Wednesday called for a transition to intelligent strategies to fix Pakistan’s endemic power problems.

Speaking during a Space on X (formerly Twitter) alongside his ‘Reimagining Pakistan’ colleagues, former finance minister Miftah Ismail and ex-PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, he said that the current hike in electricity prices was connected with the ongoing economic crisis in the country.

“This is violation of human rights. A person who earns Rs40,000 per month, how is he supposed to pay Rs20,000 in the name of electricity bill?”, Mr Khokhar asked at one point in the discussion.

While the discussants pondered over what they felt were the causes of the current crisis, in great detail, Mr Ismail swiftly shifted the conversation towards solutions.

“The bills could be extended over a period of five to six months, serving as a short-term remedy. A lasting solution would involve imposing taxes across all industries, enabling the electricity sector to reduce the billing costs,” Mr Abbasi proposed.

Mr Khokhar commented that relying on “capacity payment” for bills was not a wise solution. While answering a question, Mr Abbasi asserted the importance of solar revival in the country.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2023