PESHAWAR: Awami National Party provincial president Mian Iftikhar Hussain has expressed grave concern over the worsening energy crisis and prolonged power outages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying the province produces more electricity than it consumes, yet its people continue to suffer from severe power outages.

In a statement issued here on Friday, Mr Hussain said rural areas of the province were facing up to 20 to 22 hours of electricity outages daily, severely affecting everyday life including agriculture and small businesses. He said the situation reflected the failure of the country`s centralised energy system, which he described as unjust and ineffective.

`Despite possessing abundant natural resources, the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are deprived of equal access to energy, while poverty and economic hardship in rural areas continue to rise,` he said, adding that institutions linked to the energy sector were earning huge profits while ordinary citizens were in distress.

Mr Hussain said the world was rapidlyshifting towards green energy, but Pakistan still relied heavily on expensive and unsustainable energy sources. He stressed the need for immediate reforms in the energy sector.

He demanded of the government provide subsidies on solar energy equipment, abolish all taxes and tariffs on solar panels and batteries and promote microgrids and off-grid solar systems at the local level to ensure affordable electricity for rural communities.

The ANP leader also called for a gradual reduction in dependence on imported fuel and urged authorities to make plans for self-sufficiency in the energy sector.

Mr Hussain emphasised the need to decentralise the energy system to ensure fair distribution and access to electricity.

He urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation and relevant committees of the provincial assembly to formulate an immediate and practical strategy to address the crisis.

He warned that failure to reform the existing system would further deepen economic inequality and provincial deprivation, leaving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa deprived of basic facilities despite its vast natural resources.