Improved governance, transparency must to resolve power crisis

Improved governance, transparency, accountability and public participation in policy making, planning and regulatory framework are necessary for resolving the current crisis of electricity in country. There is a dire need to look beyond the routine technical solutions to ensure sustained and affordable supply of electricity to the people.
This was expressed by Ameena Sohail, a consultant Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan, during the policy dialogue on "Role of Provinces in Management of Electricity Crisis, organised by the Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) at a local hotel here on Wednesday.
Introducing the programme, Ameena Sohail said that under its Electricity Governance Initiative (EGI-Pakistan) being implemented with the support of Open Society Institute, CRCP has completed mapping of the governance issues that have marred the sector's development through Electricity Governance Toolkit (EGT). She said the initiative aims to look beyond the traditional discussion of technical issues related to transmission, distribution and generation.
"After completing the sector mapping, CRCP has now undertaken policy dialogues on various issues in electricity governance with the relevant stakeholders like parliamentarians, legislators, planners, regulators and service providers", she added. While elaborating the role of provinces in management of electricity crisis by the provinces, she said that under the current scenario, the provincial governments are equally responsible to ensure steady electricity supply to their people. Keeping the enormity of crisis in view and to meet the gigantic challenge, we need to combine our efforts to ensure sustained and affordable supply of electricity across the country.
The representatives of Civil Society Organisations highlighted that the current electricity crisis in the country clearly indicates that routine technocratic solutions are not enough to deal with current power crisis and calls for active engagement with the policy-makers and regulators for adequate, cheap and uninterrupted supply of electricity in Pakistan. It is the responsibility of federal and provincial governments to redress the issues and concerns of common citizens.
During the discussion, role of Nepra was emphasised as saviour of consumers but due to lack of consumer rights protection by Nepra, the gradual lack of CSOs participation in Nepra proceedings was also recorded. It was suggested that Nepra might consider opening up an office of consumer affairs as advocates of consumers.
Summing up the discussions, Shamim A Firpo of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said that there is a need to devise mechanisms for effective dialogue between the service providers and the consumers of the provinces to ensure that consumer grievances are redressed in an effective and efficient manner. The province in post 18th Amendment scenario now has a wider role to play in the governance and overall management of electricity sector, viewed Muhammad Ali Rasheed of Shehri.