The action plan seeks to achieve exploration and maximum utilisation of indigenous resources such as oil, gas, coal, and alternative and renewable sources such as solar and wind energy. It aims to increase hydel power production through construction of a series of hydropower projects and proposes to integrate coal mining in power generation.
The plan envisages maximum participation of the private sector and emphasises development of wind, solar and other forms of renewable energy to meet at least five percent of the country's total energy requirements.
President General Musharraf highlighted the fact that Pakistan has vast resources of oil, gas, coal, water and solar energy, but regretted that past policies failed to tap these fully. As a result, the country's development could not be optimised.
Since the present government has committed itself to the goal of achieving 7-8 percent economic growth, energy assumes critical importance. Developing economies considered far more robust than ours, for example China and India, are finding this out at some cost.
The imperative, therefore, to bring together short-and long-term perspectives and adopt rational policies cannot be denied if Pakistan is to be enabled to sustain such growth rates.
But the difficulties and obstacles facing the government in the implementation of these ideas cannot be wished away either. They need to be tackled with vision if the energy plan is to succeed. First and foremost is the problem of the elusive consensus on big dams. If Kalabagh has become a long running sore in the discourse between the smaller provinces on the one hand and Punjab and the Centre on the other, by now the embitterment on this issue has reached heights where the very concept of big dams is being questioned.
Unless the federation's stakeholders are all brought on board and agree, it is problematic to advocate big dams, especially Kalabagh, when such advocacy may end up eroding inter-provincial harmony further and weakening the cohesion and unity of the federation. It is advisable, therefore, to examine the root causes of the disquiet over Kalabagh and other proposed big dams before going off gung-ho in this direction. Water resources and their fair distribution are at the heart of the dispute over new dams.
Additionally, the fears of NWFP that its agriculture will be drowned by a lake such as Kalabagh's is an apprehension the government has not been able to dissipate to the satisfaction of the concerned citizens of NWFP. Without the necessary consensus, it would be extremely politically risky to go ahead with big dams while overriding the objections of the smaller provinces.
This portion of the action plan therefore cannot be considered reliable for planning purposes.
Oil and gas needs to be transported internally, and if reserves permit, for export through pipelines. Given the growing perception that Pakistan cannot protect its own gas pipelines running through Balochistan, international investors would have second thoughts before committing money.
That is why there is a dire need for a political settlement of Balochistan's grievances. This is only possible if the Centre is prepared to contemplate a fair share for the people of Balochistan out of their resources that the state wishes to extract.
An internal political settlement of the disturbed conditions in Balochistan will go a long way towards persuading the region and the potential international investors that the oil and gas sectors in Pakistan promise good and safe returns.
As far as renewable sources of energy are concerned, we have been criminally negligent in taking advantage of the bounties nature has granted our country. The long coastline and immediate hinterland are ideally placed for wind and even tidal generation, while the solar energy plenty is obvious.
Half-hearted attempts in the past to also bring into the energy network possible sources such as bio-gas, etc, have not been able to boast of any great success. But perhaps if more 'energy' were invested in such simple energy sources, it would serve to brighten the lives of our rural populace quickly and cheaply.
Pakistan, like any developing economy, will sooner rather than later find out that energy shortage represents the greatest roadblock to accelerated growth. To meet the growing needs of a vibrant economy, the government will need the political will and vision to iron out the wrinkles in the way of the action plan as outlined above.
Only a country united on the basis of mutual interest will be able to ensure that the future is bright with glowing sources of a variety of energy forms.