The government is restricting imports across the border to control the outflow of dollars, which is only exacerbating the economic crisis by depriving our industries of the raw materials and energy they need to function. We have massive coal reserves in Thar that we can use to meet our energy needs rather than depending on expensive RLNG and furnace oil. This will save forex and also ensure energy security by reducing our dependence on imported fuel.
Thar coal will diversify the generation mix and help us reduce overall electricity costs. Therefore, instead of quickly building reserves by borrowing from multilateral institutions and friendly countries, policymakers ought to focus on sustainable long-term development.
Salman Ahmed Ansari
Tando Adam