Pakistan's energy crisis is a failure of policy, not resources

In a world driven by technology, energy plays a dominant role. Most countries have evolved special mechanisms to ensure affordable and sustainable energy resources. The recent conflict in the Middle East has exposed the global sensitivities to the disruption of the flow of oil and gas. Blockage of the Strait of Hormuz has sent global shockwaves to the energy deficient nations. Finally, some good news is expected to streamline and stabilise the flow of the much-needed fuel.

The year was 1978, as a young engineer I had the chance of visiting the Sui Gas fields in the Dera Bugti area of Balochistan. It was a massive deposit of godsend natural gas ready to use. Discovered in the year 1952, estimated at 12 TCF (Trillion Cubic Feet), it was considered as one of the largest discoveries of its time. PPL (Pakistan Petroleum Limited), a joint venture company of Government of Pakistan and a UK entity, was pumping out gas. Two public sector companies were created for the transmission and distribution of gas across Pakistan.

The SSGC (Sui Southern Gas Company) was the first to deliver this clean fuel to Karachi, the commercial hub of the country. The SNGPL (Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd) then connected Faisalabad to the national gas grid followed by Lahore. Today, Pakistan has a massive network of underground pipelines. It was a very impressive set-up. My interest was mainly in corrosion protection of the buried mild steel coated pipeline. We travelled by road from Sui to Rahim Yar Khan checking the PSP (pipe to soil potential). Hope was alive, the country was progressing.

Pakistan remained an energy surplus nation till around 2002 when shortages started to appear. Due to misuse and mismanagement the gift of nature was consumed much ahead of its time. No serious work was carried out on other deposits and alternate fuel options. Coal that had fuelled the entire industrial revolution in the West was totally ignored.

An energy foresight committee was formed by the Planning Commission headed by Engr. M B Ahmed, Managing Director of the SSGC. As Chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), with my background in metallurgy and mining I was tasked to cover the development of coal as a source of energy. Thar being the largest deposit (175 B tons), it was decided to mine the black gold that lay buried at a shallow depth of about 150 meters but covered by water. It was not an easy undertaking as the world was moving away from this fuel that had played a pivotal role in its industrial growth. Considering the importance of energy self-reliance, I did not give up.

Despite several hiccups, finally we were able to mine the black gold. Currently power generation has started. Successful gasification has also taken place. A urea plant has been announced that will convert the gas produced (Syngas) to the much-needed fertiliser.

Despite resources and potential, the crisis persists mainly because of lack of direction and gross mismanagement in Pakistan. The circular debts keep spiralling up. A few years back I had the chance of visiting Shenhua, the energy giant of China. We were taken to their control room. It was like running an empire. The state-owned enterprise has its own ships, railway and mines to ensure energy security.

In the USA after the oil embargo of the seventies, President Jimmy Carter promised his nation that the country would never face a fuel crisis again. DOE (Department of Energy) was created that started research on all possible energy options. Currently Shale Gas is being used as an affordable source of energy. India has recently announced a massive programme based on gasification of their coal deposits.

Meanwhile, industries in Pakistan have become non-competitive due to high fuel costs. The hydel projects have not come online. Potential of Thar Coal is not being fully exploited. New gas discoveries have not been commissioned. Shale gas option has not been taken seriously. Sui gas was a gift of nature in the year 1952 and so is the Thar Coal in our times. In such circumstances I am reminded of the words of the famous poet, Munir Niazi, who talked about the magical spell (Asaib Ka Saya) on the nation that keeps holding us back. Some soul searching is required before it is too late.