Sindh Announces ‘Long-Term Plan’ to Tackle Power Crisis

The Sindh government has announced a long-term strategy to address the ongoing electricity crisis, differing from Punjab’s recently announced short-term power relief package. In a statement, Sindh Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah emphasized the province’s commitment to providing sustainable solutions to the public, who are struggling with soaring electricity bills. “The Sindh government is focusing on a comprehensive approach rather than offering temporary relief measures,” Shah stated. He revealed that as part of this initiative, the provincial government has already begun distributing 200,000 solar panels to residents. Furthermore, an additional 500,000 solar panels are scheduled for distribution within the next month. This announcement comes in the wake of the Punjab government’s decision to provide a Rs. 14 per unit electricity subsidy for two months, a move that has attracted scrutiny from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF has responded by imposing new conditions on Pakistan, including a demand to terminate Punjab’s subsidy by September 30th. The IMF has also prohibited provincial governments from introducing any new electricity or gas subsidies during the ongoing 37-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program. These new conditions have cast uncertainty over Punjab’s ambitious Rs. 700 billion plan to distribute solar panels to consumers using up to 500 units of electricity monthly. Punjab’s subsidy plan, approved in August, now faces challenges amid intensified negotiations with the IMF, raising concerns about its future viability.