KARACHI: Pakistan is currently facing prolonged electricity outages but could generate surplus electricity if its solar and wind power generation potential is fully utilized, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor. According to Pasban Democratic Party, the negligence of policymakers is wasting the country's vast renewable energy potential.
Shakoor highlighted that Pakistan is endowed with some of the world's most abundant solar and wind resources, yet these valuable natural assets remain grossly underutilized due to decades of policy negligence. He emphasized that at a time when the country is grappling with high electricity tariffs, a crippling circular debt, repeated balance-of-payments crises, and growing reliance on imported fuels, successive governments have failed to devise and implement a robust, long-term strategy for renewable energy development.
Shakoor noted that Pakistan enjoys nearly 300 sunny days annually, with average solar irradiation ranging from 5 to 7 kilowatt-hours per square meter per day across much of the country, ranking among the best solar resources globally. Along the Sindh coast, the Gharo-Jhimpir wind corridor alone is estimated to possess a technical wind power potential of around 50,000 megawatts (50 GW). Despite this, only a fraction of this enormous potential has been developed.
Instead of harnessing these indigenous resources, Pakistan continues to spend billions of US dollars annually on importing oil, coal, and liquefied natural gas, he lamented. These imports drain precious foreign exchange reserves, elevate electricity generation costs, and directly contribute to the country's recurring economic crises.
Shakoor pointed to the successes of other countries, such as Denmark, Portugal, and Spain, in generating significant portions of their electricity from renewable sources as examples of what visionary policymaking can achieve. He argued that Pakistan, with even greater natural advantages, continues to lag due to inconsistent policies, regulatory uncertainty, delayed approvals, and inadequate investment in transmission infrastructure.
Shakoor called for federal and provincial governments to prioritize renewable energy as an economic priority, advocating for a comprehensive national strategy that establishes ambitious renewable energy targets, simplifies investment procedures, modernizes the transmission grid, and encourages the development of large-scale solar parks, wind farms, and rooftop solar systems.
He also encouraged the promotion of local manufacturing of solar panels, inverters, batteries, and wind energy components to create skilled jobs, stimulate industrial growth, and reduce import dependence. Shakoor suggested that fully harnessing Pakistan's renewable energy potential could allow the country to export clean electricity or produce green hydrogen for international markets.
Shakoor concluded by stating that the transition to renewable energy is an economic necessity, warning that every delay results in higher fuel imports, more expensive electricity, and lost opportunities for investment and employment. He urged policymakers to replace short-term thinking with a bold national vision to harness the nation's renewable energy potential for economic transformation.