With temperatures going up, the electricity loadshedding has gone up in tandem across the country. The riots have not begun just yet, but patience is running thin, especially in cities like Faisalabad, where the better part of the day is spent without power.
The biggest challenge for the government in waiting is undoubtedly the energy crisis, for which a number of short-term measures need to be taken before moving on for a long-term fix.
PML-N is said to be working on its first hundred days programme, of which energy is a crucial component.
Although the partys election manifesto promised it would integrate the Ministry of Water and Power with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, there is so far no such move being discussed by PML-N leadership.
Recall that the Pakistan Business Council controversially lauded the PML-Ns manifesto on energy, where the very first point was related to integrating the ministries of petroleum and water & power.
Experts have long argued that an integrated energy ministry is the need of the hour to streamline various issues that hinder the resolution of this crisis. Rumour has it that Khwaja Mohammad Asif is all set to take charge of the Ministry of Water & Power while Chaudhry Nisar is awaiting yet another stint at the Petroleum Ministry.
It is the initial days where a new government can best afford to bite the bullet and take bold decisions. PML-N would be best advised to stick to its promise for which it earned applause from the business community of the country. If an integrated ministry isn formed initially, it may never be formed in the next five years.
On the bright side, a number of steps outlined for immediate implementation sound good. PML-N appears serious in combating circular debt, as the programme emphasises clearing this debt by the end of the fiscal. Similarly, a number of wise steps have also been mentioned to improve collection of dues from public sector entities and provinces.
Distribution of natural gas will likely be reprioritised with the first priority going to power generation - the right thing to do. In the short-term, the plan is to privatise Gencos and Discos along with rationalising electricity tariffs across the board, to lower the huge amount of power sector subsidy that touched Rs500 billion in FY12.
There are plans to rationalise gas prices across various slabs from industries to CNG, which has long been the demand of experts. There are indications that the fertilizer feedstock price will be raised and farmers will be provided with direct subsidy - another rationale decision.
One hopes, the upcoming government does not back out of its promise to restrict the use of CNG to public transport and equate the price to the substitute fuel in a years time.
There is no denying the energy crisis is the most pressing issue in the country and there is no magic wand to clean up all the mess in one go. The PML-Ns approach so far looks good on paper, but it is never any good if it fails to translate on ground. And delivering on its promises will be a lot easier if the party integrates the ministries involved, in earnest.
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