ISLAMABAD, Feb 24 (APP):Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari on Tuesday said that the first 200 megawatt (MW) electricity transaction under the newly launched Competitive Market Operations Date (CMOD) regime is expected to be completed by June this year, marking a significant milestone in Pakistan’s transition towards a competitive power market.
Addressing the CMOD declaration ceremony, the minister said the reform journey, originally envisioned decades ago and initiated in 2016-17 in its practical form, had finally entered the implementation phase after years of deliberations and institutional groundwork.
The symbolic activation of CMOD was jointly performed by Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari and Secretary Power Division Dr Muhammad Fakhre Alam Irfan.
Reflecting on the delay in implementation despite conceptual approval of competitive market reforms in the early 1990s, the minister termed it a governance lag that cost the country valuable time. “When you conceptualize something and approve it in 1992 but only begin serious implementation nearly two decades later, it reflects the challenges in our governance framework,” he observed.
The minister emphasized that reform was a collaborative institutional effort and appreciated the role of senior officials, including Secretary Power Division Dr. Muhammad Fakhre Alam Irfan, Chairperson BoD ISMO Ermeena Asad Malik, Chairman NGC Dr Fayaz, CEO ISMO Imtiaz Shah, and other stakeholders for their intellectual input and implementation support.
“I think this entire team has done an amazing amount of work in the past few years,” he said, acknowledging the contributions of the Power Division, regulators, and market institutions.
“This is not just a formality. It shows that not only political leadership but officers at the helm of affairs truly matter. The intellectual input we receive as policymakers and the way we jointly work toward implementation is critical for the betterment of the people,” he said.
Leghari also expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister’s Office for their ownership and trust, stating that without their continued support, the reform process could not have reached the implementation stage.
Highlighting ongoing challenges, the minister noted that certain procedural and regulatory matters, including determination of wheeling charges, were still under process. He said a summary had been moved for the Prime Minister’s consideration and expressed optimism that following April, auction-related transactions would proceed smoothly.
“We are expecting that by June this year, the first 200MW transaction will be completed. It has taken 20-25 years of discussions and efforts. Achieving this will be a major step forward,” he remarked.
Leghari expressed hope that the transition from wholesale to retail electricity market would proceed at a much faster pace than past reforms. He stressed the need to adopt global best practices rather than relying solely on domestic trial-and-error learning.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, the minister distributed certificates among key senior officials in recognition of their contributions to the reform process.
Those who received certificates included CEO ISMO Imtiaz Shah, Arshad Javed Minhas, Executive Director (IT/HR & Admin); Muhammad Zakria, Executive Director (System Operations); Noman Rafiq, Company Secretary; Omer Haroon Malik, Executive Director (Market Operations); Syed Shaheer Ali, Additional Senior Director; and Zeeshan Khan, Director Corporate Communications, along with other officials who played a vital role in achieving this milestone.