amir_ali
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
The Pakistan Business Council (PBC) has issued a report on the positions of major political parties on the National Economic Agenda (NEA). The report makes for an interesting read. Quite in line with the latest surveys and polls, the PML (N) is on top with a high 84 percent similarity to the PBC agenda. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has scored 66 percent, while the PPP follows with 53 percent.
The NEA focuses on five key areas for reforms including energy, macro economy, regional trade, social protection and education. Energy being the core issue at the moment deserves the most attention, so lets start with the energy policies of major political parties and their similarity or the lack of, with the PBC agenda.
Recall that the PTI was the first party to have presented a detailed energy policy early in 2012, one that received good press. Although the Party will officially announce its manifesto on the Pakistan Day, one should not expect significant change in its Energy Policy.
The report reads that the PML (N) has ticked all the seven boxes in the energy reform matrix, whereas the PTI fills only four - making PML (N) the clear leader. Lets dissect the seven indicators that the PBC deems primary for energy reforms in the country and the respective parties status.
Firstly, the PBC deems Fast tracking of LNG imports a must do, for which it gives the PML (N) full marks as in its latest manifesto, it clearly emphasises on expediting setting up of LNG terminal and rightly so. Strangely enough, the PBC fails to see the same in PTIs Energy Policy, which is a much more detailed document and covers the LNG import plan from short-term to long-term in intricate details.
Moving on, evamping existing assets in power generation and distribution system seems to be well-addressed by both the PML (N) and the PTI, for which they have got the business councils nod. But it has to be said that the PTIs take on reforming the infrastructure is a detailed one and discusses the costs and steps associated with it, while the PML (N) in its manifesto has just made a passing comment.
Another area, where the PBC seems to have erred in analyzing the PTIs Energy Policy is the deregulation of energy sector. The PBCs Research Wing seems to have overlooked the PTIs liberation of Gencos and Discos, which is point number one in the energy reforms presented by the Party. Perhaps, a revisit to the PTI Energy Policy might result in a tweak to the PBCs findings.
Yet another point, which the PBC has given credit to the PML (N) but failed to do the same for the PTI is the creation of an integrated Energy Ministry. The PML (N) in its manifesto has promised a central ministry for energy, a move which has to be welcomed and one of which the experts have long been calling. The PTI had presented this idea more than a year ago, stating the creation of a single, professional ministry for energy as the core of its energy sector reforms. Why has the PBC missed to spot it in the PTIs Energy Policy is unfathomable.
In all honesty, without a doubt, the PTI deserves a seven out of seven on its stance on energy, just like the PML (N). The Pakistan Business Council is a reputable organisation and it would do good to revisit its findings and come up with a more objective analysis, free of factual inaccuracies. More on the other parts of the NEA later in these columns.
http://www.brecorder.com/br-researc...stan-business-council-dumps-pti-lauds-pml-(n)
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