Energy Scenario and Diversity in Pakistan: An Energy Security Perspective

Abstract

Energy being the lifeline for socio economic development has become the leading issue of 21st century. There is global increase in demand of energy and it will continue to increase due to immoderate energy consumption. Today there is global fear of energy crisis as world primary demand of energy is expected to rise about 1.7 percent annually in next twenty years. South Asia is expected to give largest share for increase in global energy demand. Pakistan being a developing state is facing acute energy crisis that has hampered the socio-economic development. The energy crisis of Pakistan and its spillover effects on efficiency of other sectors especially economic sector has created serious issues in Pakistan for the last two decades. The overreliance on imported energy resources to satisfy the demand and less emphasis on the development of domestic energy resources is deteriorating the socio-economic conditions of country. There are two major sources of energy being used in Pakistan, renewable and non-renewable sources. In Pakistan, there has been more focus on non-renewable sources of energy which are largely acquired through imports of oil to satisfy the increasing demand. The state Energy policy has somehow has not able to match with the increasing energy demand and therefore citizens angered by frequent power outages demonstrate to protests and riots. Thus, this article, accentuate on the need of the utilization of the indigenous resources of energy to fulfill the energy need and to eradicate the acute crisis of energy. this research will also assess the issues in Power policy and Power sector institutions of Pakistan.