ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a 12-member panel to assess the potential benefits of introducing Daylight Saving Time (DST) by adjusting clocks during the winter months, official sources told Business Recorder.
The panel comprises Of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar (Chairman); Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari; Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan; Secretary Cabinet; Secretary Commerce; Secretary Science and Technology; Secretary Climate Change and Environmental Coordination; Secretary Industries and Production; Musharraf Zaidi, Chief Coordinator to the Prime Minister; Arif Saeed of PRAL; Omar Saleem Cheema; and the Managing Director, National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA).
The purpose of the committee is to assess the potential impact of clock adjustments on energy conservation, power demand, and the environment during the winter months.
The Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the committee are as follows: (i) evaluate potential energy savings from the implementation of DST during the winter months based on historical load-curve data and consumption patterns; (ii) review international best practices and case studies of DST adoption in comparable climatic and economic conditions; (iii) estimate the potential reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and overall environmental benefits resulting from reduced energy demand; and (iv) engage private sector stakeholders to gauge likely benefits or disruptions.
The committee may co-opt any member or expert as required. The Power Division shall serve as the secretariat of the committee and will notify its constitution.
The committee is required to submit its report for the Prime Minister’s consideration within the month of November 2025.
Pakistan does not currently observe Daylight Saving Time (DST) and, therefore, does not benefit from the practice of “rewinding” (ending DST in autumn) or “forwarding” (starting DST in spring) clocks. The country has not implemented DST since 2009.
When DST was introduced on a trial basis in 2002, 2008, and 2009, the primary objective was energy conservation to help address the electricity shortfall.
Previously, there was a perception that reversing the clocks by an hour would provide relief to students and office goers. During the peak summer months, advancing the clocks was seen as a measure to conserve electricity and protect office goers who typically start work at 9:00 AM from the intense morning heat.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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