Minister Leghari Meets World Bank, IsDB Delegations to Strengthen Pakistan’s Energy Sector
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Monday held meetings with senior delegations from the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to discuss strategies for strengthening Pakistan’s energy sector, with a focus on sustainability and efficiency.
A World Bank delegation led by Ousmane Dione, Vice President for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan Region, and Dr. Rami Ahmad, Vice President (Operations) of the IsDB, met the minister to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation in energy development initiatives.
Welcoming the delegations, Minister Leghari expressed gratitude for the World Bank’s historical support in development projects and highlighted his recent visit to the institution’s headquarters, noting the ongoing need for strong partnerships to address energy challenges effectively.
During the discussions, the delegations emphasized the importance of reliable and affordable energy systems. Dr. Ahmad highlighted opportunities for joint initiatives to promote sustainable energy practices, while the minister reaffirmed his commitment to reinforcing the power sector through targeted reforms.
Minister Leghari outlined current initiatives covering generation, transmission, and distribution, including integrated expansion plans and the exclusion of costly power plants from the Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP), projected to save around USD 17 billion in future expenses for consumers. Additional measures include addressing inefficiencies in distribution companies, which have resulted in improvements worth Rs197 billion, reducing circular debt by Rs780 billion, and converting imported coal plants to use local Thar coal. Transmission bottlenecks are also being resolved, alongside a review to fully implement automated metering.
To boost demand and rationalize tariffs, the minister highlighted incentive packages for industrial and agricultural consumers, integration of captive power facilities into the national grid, tariff incentives for electric vehicles, and refined net metering regulations. Market and governance reforms include liberalization of the wholesale electricity market, restructuring of key institutions such as the national grid company and private power board, and the deployment of IT tools to enhance consumer services and oversight.
Minister Leghari concluded by emphasizing the transition to clean energy sources as key to long-term energy security and economic growth.
Ousmane Dione and Dr. Rami Ahmad commended the government’s practical and timely reforms, acknowledging visible progress in efficiency, financial sustainability, and service delivery across the power sector. Both delegations reaffirmed their continued support and cooperation with Pakistan in advancing a sustainable and reliable energy system.
