PTI criticises energy policies of govt

ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Saturday launched a scathing attack on the government, accusing it of enacting “short-sighted, flawed, and misguided” policies that have crippled the power sector and driven electricity beyond the reach of millions.

Speaking at a presser, Opposition Leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub took direct aim at the government’s energy and fiscal management, flanked by senior PTI leaders Shibli Faraz, Sheikh Waqas Akram, and Taimur Jhagra. Together, they painted a grim picture: ballooning utility bills, decaying infrastructure, and chronic mismanagement. “Electricity was far more affordable under our government,” Ayub said. “Now, its prices have skyrocketed, and even the federal capital is experiencing frequent outages. The infrastructure is outdated, the number of feeders is inadequate, and demand continues to rise.”

Citing escalating global oil prices exacerbated by the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, Ayub warned that the economic fallout could drive Pakistan further toward collapse.

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Turning to the federal budget, Ayub called it a disaster, criticising the government’s approach to energy policy. They can’t stand the idea of affordable electricity, he said. “The projects we initiated for Rs450 billion are now costing Rs2,000 billion – not due to inflation, but because of mismanagement and sheer incompetence.”

He condemned the recurring Fuel Price Adjustments (FPA), arguing that they disproportionately burden ordinary citizens. “Rates shift every three months, and it is always the people who pay,” he lamented.

Ayub also accused the government of blocking the broadcast of his budget speech. “They are afraid of the truth and that’s the reason they censored my speech on the finance bill,” he claimed.

He warned of a ballooning budget deficit – Rs6,501 billion – and looming threats of oil shortages and surging interest rates. “This government must be held accountable. There is no alternative but to send them home.”

However, Shibli Faraz echoed Ayub’s concerns. “Regional conflict will only drive fuel prices higher, and it is the people who will bear the cost. We have been saddled with corrupt, incompetent rulers.”

Despite a reported 80,000 megawatt generation capacity under the PTI government, Faraz argued, power remains unaffordable. “People want to pay their bills but they simply can’t.”

He also criticised the government’s decision to impose an 18 per cent tax on solar panels, calling it a penalty on those seeking alternatives. “We had a strategy in 2022 to promote competition. None of it has been implemented.” He pointed to a rising circular debt, inconsistent electricity supply, and outstanding payments to energy firms. “There has been zero meaningful progress. PML-N and PPP are directly responsibility for this crisis.”

Though the current generation capacity stands at 46,000 megawatts, Faraz said, cities remain in darkness, and load-shedding is worse than ever.

Taimur Jhagra, an ex-provincial finance minister of PTI, severely criticised the government’s limited privatisation effort – targeting only LESCO, FESCO, and IESCO – as insufficient and uneven. “Millions in ex-FATA remain entirely without electricity,” he said. “Who will be held accountable?”

He said the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa budget had been presented and citizens would soon see the difference. He also raised questions about the legal basis for the ongoing isolation of PTI patron-in-chief Imran Khan. “What law allows this? Why is he being punished?”

Jhagra said Punjab now endures more than 12 hours of daily load-shedding, while KP swelters under 46°C heat. “Basic rights are being denied. Agriculture has completely collapsed. Even Bangladesh has gone ahead of us in energy.”

Closing the presser, PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram spotlighted the crisis in rural areas of the country particularly in KP, Balochistan, Sindh, and southern Punjab, where power shortages have become acute. He said privatisation would fall short without fundamental reforms in IESCO and LESCO.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025