ISLAMABAD   -    Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Agha Hassan Baloch ON Friday said that Pakistan had succeeded in creating a roadmap for energy conservation at the national level that directly impacted the country’s foreign exchange.

He was addressing the National Stakeholders Consultation 2023 on Energy Efficiency and Conservation in Pakistan held at a local hotel.

The federal minister stated, “The country can conserve more energy through reducing dependence on imported energy and crude oil.”

Agha Hassan Baloch said, “The sustainable economic and industrial development of any country in modern times depends largely on the supply of uninterrupted, constant quality and alternative sources of energy.”

Addressing the participants, which included representatives of the industrial sector and senior officials, the minister stated, “The present coalition government has approved the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy 2023 for which the valuable opinion of all the stakeholders will serve as a catalyst for making this policy more viable.”

Agha Hassan Baloch said, “His ministry has succeeded in making energy conservation building codes in Pakistan in a very short period of time, as per the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.”

“In view of increased electricity consumption in the month of summer, energy conservation building codes are very important to ensure that the construction of houses and buildings is done in a way that electricity consumption is reduced and there is proper arrangement of light and air.”

He said, “It is very important to introduce global energy standards in the industrial sector and, in this regard, the government has not only banned the manufacturing of substandard bulbs but also increased the duty on the import of its raw materials.”

The minister said, “In this short period of time, the regulations of electrical appliances used in homes have been approved which will not only be effective for the local industries but for the electricity consumers.”

Addressing the consultation seminar, Managing Director (MD) of the National Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (NEECA), Sardar Muazzam introduced the salient features of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy.

Federal Secretary for Science and Technology, Abdullah Khan Sambal in his address highlighted the importance of Energy Efficiency and Conservation Policy 2023.