Pakistan is emerging as a regional leader in clean energy and power sector reforms, Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said Saturday.
Speaking via Zoom at the Second Asia Energy Transition Summit at Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), jointly organized by the Pakistan Renewable Energy Coalition, LUMS, and the Alliance for Climate Justice and Clean Energy, Leghari highlighted Pakistan’s renewable energy achievements. Nearly 50 gigawatts of solar panels have been imported, and 52 percent of electricity is now generated from clean sources, with a target of over 90 percent by 2035.
He outlined ongoing power sector reforms, including DISCO privatization, smart metering, digitalization of the transmission system, circular debt reduction, solarization of agricultural tube wells, competitive electricity markets, the 118 helpline, and cuts in EV charging tariffs.
Citing International Energy Agency and UN reports, Leghari said Asia accounts for 60 percent of the world’s population and 48 percent of global energy consumption, placing it at the center of the global energy transition. Pakistan, he noted, contributes less than one percent of global carbon emissions but remains among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries.
The minister called the summit a platform for regional collaboration on sustainable energy. Attendees included former Federal Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar, former Supreme Court Judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, Dr Tariq Jadoon, Program Director Mustafa Amjad, Dr Amais Abdur Rahman, Hamza Ali Haroon, and national and international experts and students.
