**ISLAMABAD: ** Lawmakers and experts have urged Pakistan to accelerate its transition toward renewable energy and strengthen parliamentary and provincial oversight in national energy planning to ensure energy sovereignty, affordability, and climate resilience.
Speaking at the Parliamentary Forum on Energy and Economy on the theme “Implications of IGCEP 2025: Politics of Energy Generation in Pakistan,” Senator Sherry Rehman, the chief guest, emphasized that energy access is a fundamental human right and that Pakistan must urgently shift toward clean and sustainable energy sources.
“Energy represents wealth for a country—it is the foundation of energy democracy, security, and sovereignty,” Senator Rehman said. “Every industry, household, school, and farm depends on low-cost, sustainable energy to power growth and development.”
Highlighting global trends, she noted that renewable energy overtook coal as the leading global electricity source in early 2025, with solar and wind meeting all of the increase in global demand. Pakistan, she added, is performing above the global average, generating 47% of its electricity from low-carbon sources in 2024, a figure projected to rise to 55% by 2025. She praised Sindh’s leadership in renewable initiatives such as the Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP), which targets 500,000 low-consumption households.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, Senator Rehman said the country aims for 60% renewable power generation by 2030, net-zero emissions by 2050, and a 30% transition to electric vehicles by 2030, alongside a ban on imported coal.
However, she criticized the Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2025 for lacking provincial consultation and excluding renewable projects. “This intervention requires parliamentary consensus and genuine provincial engagement, not box-ticking exercises,” she asserted.
At the same forum, Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry stressed that strong parliamentary oversight is vital for steering Pakistan toward an affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy future.
“The IGCEP is not merely a technical document—it is a covenant with the nation,” Chaudhry said. “Providing affordable and clean energy to future generations is our national responsibility.”
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing the IGCEP 2025–35 in line with national unity and provincial autonomy, ensuring that citizens and businesses benefit from stable, quality power supply.
Participants, including senators, MNAs, and technical experts, agreed that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) must play a central role in reviewing the IGCEP to uphold the spirit of the 18th Constitutional Amendment and Article 157, which empower provinces in electricity generation and regulation.
Forum Convener Dr. Nafisa Shah highlighted that the platform aims to promote energy democracy through evidence-based policy dialogue and inclusive decision-making. She emphasized that energy reform must align with Pakistan’s broader goals of economic growth and climate resilience.
Experts including Muhammad Badar Alam, Omer Haroon Malik, and Engr. Imtiaz Hussain Baloch presented detailed analyses of the IGCEP, while provincial perspectives were shared by Senator Sana Baloch (Balochistan), Ahmed Kundi (KP), Mujeeb ul Haq (Sindh), and Muhammad Zubair (Secretary Energy & Power, KP).
Concluding the session, Minister of State for Climate Change Dr. Shezra Mansab Ali reiterated that energy planning must be transparent, inclusive, and climate-aligned. “Our future depends on systems that work—not miracles,” Senator Rehman remarked, underscoring the urgent need to build a resilient, renewable-driven energy economy for Pakistan’s long-term security and prosperity.
