Pakistan is confronted with an acute energy crisis which is taking a heavy toll on economy and government should launch a serious campaign for adopting energy conservation measures which will help to some extent in countering the highly negative effects of this problem on industry and economy.

This was observed by Zahid Maqbool, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry while chairing a meeting of businessmen who had assembled at ICCI for discuss some viable proposals for coping with mounting energy problem.

He said government should promote energy efficiency by establishing national goals like China and other countries who have set compulsory targets to achieve energy-efficiency.

He said that the foremost immediate short term action which can give some relief is the conservation of energy. He said government should announce certain measures like shutting down power on billboards, hoardings & neon signs and banning extravagant lightings on marriage function as an energy deficient country like Pakistan cannot afford wasteful use of energy.

Zahid Maqbool said that many super sized billboards and televisions have been installed on important traffic points in some big cities of the country and in order to keep their temperature down, air conditioners are installed behind these screens. He said shutting down such big advertising structures, till the time the country becomes self-sufficient in energy, will save sufficient amount of electricity.

Businessmen said that many thermal plants are either lying idle or are averaging about 50% plant factor, which means that they are not being used to their full potential. They stressed upon IPPs and WAPDA to take steps for activating all idle power plants along with their better maintenance to achieve 70-80% plant factor.

Zahid Maqbool said that shopping centres may be closed at 9:00 pm in the country instead of 7:00 pm as in summer season, shopping activity normally picks up in the evening or after sun set and stressed upon the government to ensure that there will be no loadshedding in shopping centres from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. He said in the current circumstances, discouraging centralized air-condition systems and observing 2 weekly holidays are also good options to conserve energy.

He said that it would be a great service to the nation if scientists and engineers of the country put their heads together to harness the indigenous energy sources of the country and make Pakistan self-sufficient in power sector.