Energy outlook - The old nemesis rears its ugly head

There is absolutely no question about the fact that the overall energy picture of Pakistan has been in dire straits for a while now. The new government has inherited a litany of issues, it would be unfair to blame PTI for the entirety of the issues, however it would be fair to say that the former government didn’t help relieve these problems either. 

As the new government led by Shehbaz Sharif picks up pace, how the government plans to tackle the energy question is on everyone’s mind. Many economists were irritated by the ex-government's electricity and fuel relief programme. Many people were sceptical of the government's claim that it had created enough budgetary headroom to last four months till July, when the next budget was expected to come out. What happens to the relief package now that the PTI is no longer in office is the next big issue. 

The answer will also be determined by how long the coalition intends to run the government. If the goal is to merely implement electoral and accountability reforms, there may be few, if any, changes.