New Delhi, March 11 (NationPress) The prices of petrol and diesel in Pakistan have surged by almost Rs 55 per litre following the commencement of the Iran war, illustrating the persistent energy import dilemma the country has faced in recent years, as reported by Pakistani media.

With the global oil prices climbing and shipping expenses escalating due to conflict-related premiums and security concerns, Pakistan finds itself compelled to transfer these costs onto consumers. Unfortunately, this Rs 55 per litre increase may just be the initial phase, as indicated by the Karachi-based Business Recorder.

Should the turmoil continue, elevated oil prices will result in increased transportation costs, rising food prices, heightened inflation, and a significant upsurge in business operating expenses.

The report highlights that Pakistan's vulnerability to global energy shocks stems from a fundamental policy failure. The country's energy framework has been largely structured around imported fuels, despite having significant domestic energy resources. Policymakers have largely overlooked the essential principle of national energy planning: energy security, the report notes.

What compounds this predicament is that Pakistan is not devoid of energy resources; in fact, it is abundantly rich in indigenous energy potential.

The Thar coal reserves rank among the largest lignite deposits globally, capable of generating 100,000 megawatts for over a century. If developed appropriately, they could provide a considerable portion of Pakistan’s baseload electricity for decades at a much lower cost than imported fuels.

Moreover, Pakistan has substantial hydropower potential, estimated to exceed 60,000 megawatts, much of which remains untapped. The country also inhabits one of the world's most favorable regions for solar energy, while the wind corridors of Sindh and Balochistan offer significant renewable energy possibilities, as pointed out by the report.

Given these advantages, Pakistan had a distinct strategic choice: to construct its energy system around indigenous resources. The failure to do so signifies a major strategic policy oversight, the report asserts.

The significance of energy security has been emphasized repeatedly over the last two decades. Numerous analysts have consistently urged that Pakistan must mitigate its reliance on imported fuels and prioritize domestic resources. If Pakistan had shifted a substantial portion of its energy generation to a mix of hydropower and Thar coal, the nation's economic landscape would likely appear very different today, the report concludes.