Imran contradicts PTI manifesto by speaking against coal power

ISLAMABAD: PTI chief Imran Khan on Sunday declared use of coal for power production as health hazard and main source of polluting environment whereas PTI’s manifesto as well as its energy policy talks of transforming Pakistan through coal-based power generation.

In its Energy Policy, a 52-page document available on PTI website, PTI talks about making a new Pakistan by converting power generation to ‘imported coal’, which will save some $4 billion annually and this very step will prove a ‘Game Changer’ for Pakistan. Not only this, PTI in its Energy Policy shamed Pakistani government for not using coal by making a comparison of use of coal for power generation in Pakistan with developed nations. According to PTI’s policy, Australia was producing 80% of its power from coal, China 78%, India 53%, USA 50%, Germany 47%, UK 30%, overall world average 42% whereas Pakistan was using only 0.1%.

However, forgetting all this, Imran Khan attacked country’s power sector once again and with full force. Coal power plants are among those power plants which will be completed earlier and Pakistan will move forward to fill the huge energy gap created because of the incompetent and illegal regime of General Pervez Musharraf which pushed Pakistan backwards by decades. No doubt that to improve environment conditions, world has decided to give up coal-based power production slowly and in steps. Coal-based power is much cheaper. Pakistan still has 30 to 35 years to generate electricity from coal. When even the most developed nations are taking advantage of production of cheaper electricity from coal for their progress and development, why Pakistan should be made deprived of the same? Different experts have already given assurances that all safety steps have already been taken to avoid polluting environment at Sahiwal plant and also will be taken at Port Qasim Power plant. Cheaper electricity produced from coal will be lifeline for the Pakistan’s economy in days to come. This will help in production of cheaper products and will help Pakistan to compete other countries including India. Before the complete closure of coal-based plants in 2050, Pakistan can have a big jump economically simply because of the coal-based generation.

Keeping in view all these facts, PTI policy even explained why it will not use the hydero power plants as a priority. “Development of hydel will take decades with business as usual” says PTI’s Energy Policy and thus declared coal as the priority and most feasible option to take Pakistan ahead.

The PTI’s energy policy used word ‘coal’ 18 times. It explained how the party government will get rid of circular debt by immediately converting to coal-based generation. PTI energy policy not only explained year-wise break up of use of coal for power generation but also mentioned the savings that Pakistan will have from it and also declared in categorical words that ‘Converting on Coal’ will be done in first 100 days of the PTI government.