An article in today’s New York Times describes the electricity woes of Pakistanis, who are becoming increasingly frustrated with frequent power outages and restrictive new energy-saving measures.
Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, has assured Pakistan that the United States “will continue to [put more emphasis on energy issues] up to absolute limits of what Congress will fund.” He has also pointed to the six new energy projects announced by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her last visit to Pakistan.
The Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009, otherwise known as the Kerry-Lugar Bill, allocates up to $1.5 billion per year in non-military assistance to Pakistan through 2014. Authors of the bill mention “investments in energy and water, including energy generation” in particular as deserving of some of these funds. I am not certain of the level of U.S. funding that has gone to dealing with electricity shortages specifically, but perhaps now is the time for the United States to increase it, making visible (pun intended) our commitment to solving the energy crisis.