Pakistan Prime Minister-in waiting Nawaz Sharif is seriously considering importing electricity from India to tackle Pakistan’s extreme power shortfall, sources said.
“There are a number of proposals being considered by Nawaz Sharif to deal with the energy crisis. He is also seriously considering import of electricity from India,” a PML(N) leader said.
Sources in the economic ministries say that in the long run import of electricity from India as well as from Iran and the Central Asian republics is feasible. A top World Bank official based here said 1,000 MW could be imported from India in the next two years.
In addition, feasibility studies have confirmed the technical and economic viability of exporting summer-time electricity surpluses from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan from existing power plants there to relieve the shortage of power in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Mr Sharif, whose PML(N) won the May 11 elections, is determined to hold result-oriented talks with India on all issues between the two neighbours, the sources added.