The government has decided to constitute an energy sector high level task force whose membership will be sold to the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) for at least $100 million, sources told Business Recorder.
Sources said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in close liaison with Islamabad-based diplomats representing FoDP countries. Giving the background, they said that FoDP Summit meeting in New York in September 2009 had recognised the hardship persistent energy shortages imposed on Pakistan's economy and livelihood. The Summit agreed to support Pakistan in preparing a sustainable and integrated energy plan.
Sources said that the Summit mandated the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to lead in mobilising international assistance to Pakistan for energy sector. Leaders also requested a report on energy sector at the next ministerial meeting of the FoDP. A draft note proposes to set up a sector task force comprising FoDP members to prepare an action plan and a report on the energy sector.
The note suggests setting up a secretariat for the task force to organise preparation of the action plan and the report. It also recommends that a steering committee should provide oversight and direction to the task force. The way forward on the energy report, suggested in this draft note, will be finalised in consultation with the government and FoDP members. Sources said that the task force would create a forum for international partners and the government to work together on an integrated action plan and a report on the energy sector. This report, to be released at the next ministerial FoDP meeting, would also help the members to prioritise areas for supporting the energy sector.
Regarding composition of the task force, all interested partners under the FoDP would be invited to join the task force. The task force secretariat, a select group of partners, would serve as its executive. The task force will decide the secretariat membership. One membership criterion could be a minimum $100 million ongoing investment in the energy sector. The secretariat will prepare an integrated energy action plan and the report with international and national expert support. The secretariat will regularly inform the task force of its progress.
The task force secretariat will report to a steering committee co-chaired by the ADB and the government. The steering committee will oversee the preparation of the action plan and the report and provide guidance and direction to the exercise. The steering committee will approve the final report of the task force for submission to the next ministerial FoDP meeting. The task force secretariat will prepare a work plan with a timeline for the preparation of the action plan and the report. The work plan will include a budget and will identify consultancy expertise required for the assignment.
The secretariat will develop the Terms of Reference (ToR) to hire technical experts who will contribute to the action plan and the report. Likely required expertise includes a sector expert, an energy economist, and legal and regulatory affairs specialists. ADB, through a technical assistance, can finance some of these experts. Other task force members will assist in any of these technical areas. The timeline for the report assumes that the next ministerial FoDP meeting, at which the report is to be presented, will be held around May 2010.
Given the consequent scarcity of time, Islamabad is closely consulting with the FoDP representatives to agree on the draft concept note for the task force. The first steering committee to review and approve the work plan to be drafted by the task force secretariat will be held by mid-December 2009. Sources said that ADB will co-ordinate the work of the energy sector task force. However, preparing of the action plan and the report will be a collective and collaborative effort. "This will ensure the ownership of all members of the task force and bring international experience to bear on the action plan and the report. Focused attention of the task force over the next 5-6 months would be needed to prepare the action plan and the report, which would include clear recommendations on the way forward," sources added.