Civil society leaders, energy specialists, and female legislators have issued a robust call for the mandatory inclusion of women in all energy-related decision-making forums, asserting that Sindh”s crippling energy crisis and shift towards clean power cannot be resolved without a gender-inclusive strategy.
According to a statement issued today, the demand was a central theme at a multi-stakeholder dialogue, “Energy Crisis and Clean Energy Initiatives in Sindh,” organized by The Knowledge Forum (TKF). The event convened members of the Sindh Assembly’s Women Parliamentary Caucus (WPC), policy experts, and academics to address the social and economic dimensions of Pakistan”s energy challenges.
Ms Rehana Leghari, Patron-in-chief of the WPC and the event”s chief guest, described electricity as a fundamental “necessity of life” for Sindh”s agrarian economy. While acknowledging the rise of solar power, she stated it was inadequate to meet current needs. “We still need reliable grid power. We must identify the root causes of the crisis instead of addressing symptoms,” she urged.
Ms Leghari also remarked on the broader need for gender-sensitive legislation, noting that laws are frequently framed in male-dominated environments that lack an understanding of women”s lived realities.
Energy experts at the forum highlighted that decentralized solutions, such as microgrids, could provide significant relief to underserved communities. Data presented by Basil Andrews, Ms. Murk and Ms. Sadya Siddiqui indicated Pakistan has a generation capacity of 46 gigawatts but has only installed around 22 gigawatts of solar, leading to a heavy reliance on costly imported fuels.
While the current “solar rush” is seen as a positive development for reducing emissions, experts cautioned that continued dependence on coal and gas carries substantial environmental and health costs that add to the public health burden.
The critical issue of affordability was a major focus, with participants pointing out that capacity payments soared to approximately Rs6 trillion last year, causing a sharp increase in electricity bills for consumers.
Karachi”s unique vulnerabilities were underscored, with speakers noting the city’s low per capita income, extreme population density, and severe affordability constraints. This prompted calls to reform the city”s urban and energy planning frameworks and to scale up the deployment of community-level microgrids.
MPA Dr Fauzia Hameed acknowledged recent regulatory progress, including updated electricity market regulations and rooftop solar codification. However, she warned that rising temperatures across Sindh are simultaneously driving up power demand and associated costs.
Civil society representatives shared stark examples of the crisis”s impact on women. In Hyderabad, frequent power outages and heatwaves are endangering the health and livelihoods of women employed in the bangle industry. Separately, concerns were raised about the Sindh Solar Energy Project, where solar panels installed at schools were reportedly stolen due to inadequate monitoring.
Presenting a set of gender-inclusive policy recommendations, Noorul Ain Masood of CSIDC called for corporate social responsibility policies to formally include female representation, enhanced financing for community solar projects, and significant investment in green skills. She specifically proposed training women for technical and maintenance roles in the renewable energy sector to foster their economic empowerment.
In a significant concluding step, Ms Tanzeela Qambrani announced that the Women Parliamentary Caucus would officially add the demand for women’s representation on the Standing Committee on Energy to its forthcoming agenda, signalling a concrete move towards more inclusive energy governance in the province.
Earlier, TKF Director Ms Zeenia Shaukat set the stage by describing Sindh as the epicentre of Pakistan’s climate and energy crisis, possessing vast yet untapped potential. She stressed that the situation in interior Sindh remains alarming, with many communities off the national grid, and linked energy poverty directly to declines in health, education, and economic stability.