Pakistan’s intelligentsia continues to be a global hit as recently 32-year-old Muhammad Anwarul Haq has been selected by the World Energy Council (WEC) to participate in its prestigious “Future Energy Leaders” programme.
WEC – a United Nations’ accredited global body – has picked Lahore-based energy risk professional to become part of a programme for which individuals from over 90 countries would be selected for an average of three years.
Graduated from the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, Haq has already gained global working experience of over eight years serving for organisations like Schlumberger and World Bank and showing his expertise in energy modelling, technology rollout, strategy consulting, project finance and risk management.
Haq said he would try to connect Pakistan with this forum so the country could move forward and adopt best global practices in its crumbling energy sector.
“I will make an effort to open a chapter for Pakistan at the WEC in order to connect the country’s key energy stakeholders so they may understand global energy practices and have an access to the latest global information, data and expertise.”
For Haq, Pakistan currently is disconnected with the world in terms of latest technologies and innovations in the energy sector. In addition to this, inconsistent and overnight shift in energy policies has irked international investors, which impeded capital inflow and technology.
“If Pakistan connects with international forums, then inflow of capital, expertise and policymaking might get better in coming years and this could help the country meet its growing energy demand,” Haq said.
During his one-year employment with the Punjab government as chief strategy officer of the Quaid-e-Azam solar park, Haq discovered that the government had involved itself excessively in business and was trying to complete projects via bureaucracy.
“There is competency issue with the government which tends to execute projects through bureaucracy without realising market dynamics and requirements; they don’t know how to close a project. For instance, organising road shows to attract potential investors outside Pakistan for energy projects is a job of competent and experienced bankers not government agents,” Haq said.
“I managed to bring two American companies to Pakistan to get licences for solar parks, however, to date they have not got permission from the government to start the projects as the government has abruptly changed its stance on solar plants,” he said.
“This is the prime example why international investors are hesitant to invest in Pakistan, despite the fact that the Pakistani energy market is one of the most attractive markets in the world.”
Haq also shared his reservations about the government’s promise to end the energy crisis till 2018.
“The demand currently is suppressed, but the time you start providing electricity round the clock and that too at reasonable tariff, the demand will grow exponentially. The government is predicting 8% annual growth, whereas it could reach up to 15%,” he said.
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