Darkness in Indo-Pak relations

If the two neighbours are serious, they must restart the talks and get on with actions

Last week, Pakistan experienced a massive blackout, very similar to the one that India felt last year, due to a fault at HUDCO power plant (1,200 MW capacity). This had a domino effect, tripping off Tarbela and Mangala stations, resulting in total darkness for a few hours in many areas.

Most principal cities like Karachi, Hyderabad, Naswabsha Peshawar, Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Quetta experienced this outage and it took a team of engineers several hours to bring thenational grid to normalcy. There were a number other cities and towns that too were affected, with power being restored gradually.

While the power outage was on, there was a great hope and interest being built that the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan would meet on the sidelines of UN General Assembly. Nawaz Sharif and Manmohan Singh did meet and the talks centred on the urgent and imperative need to reduce tension in the border. Manmohan Singh is reported have sought Nawaz Sharif's assurance that he will take steps to reduce the activities of terror outfits if not eliminate them altogether. In the past, Pakistan had always contended that these were "freedom" fighters. Sharif, being a well established industrialist would do everything he can to promote trade and commerce between the two countries.

It is of interest to note that Nawaz Sharif has the distinction of being the first person inPakistan to be elected as Prime Minister for the third time. After being extended the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan, couple of decades ago, India has been waiting for this reciprocity, but Pakistan has so far dilly-dallied on this issue. It is hoped that this time around, Nawaz Sharif will not fail to extend the MFN status to India if he is truly keen to promote trade and industry.

Soon after his take over, at the request of Pakistan, a team of experts from the Indian power ministry travelled to Pakistan to study the possibility for setting up a 220 kV link to supply 500 MW of electricity and gradually increase it to 2,000 MW. In the discussion held in Pakistan, a proposal to set up a grid in two steps was mooted.

Initially, a 220 kV interconnection between Pakistan and India's northern grid be set up for power exchange around 500 MW and in the second phase this could be increased to 2,000 MW upon the operational experience and Pakistani needs.

Regrettably, this interesting development could not move forward due to the lack of spontaneous response from Pakistan and the sudden cancellation of the Pakistani

delegation’s visit to discuss the modalities. Had the delegation visited India as planned, price consideration and the necessary technicalities could have been

cleared and the basic spade work done to move forward.

Apparently, Pakistan called off the visit due to the unexpected tension in the border and no new dates have been proposed, with hardship being experienced by industries and homes in that country.

If the Pakistan delegation had arrived for talks, it would have helped to kill two birds with one stone!  NTPC (National Thermal Power Company) which is not producing power to the full capacity because of lack of interest shown by the power industry in India, would have been able to supply the much needed power to the homes and industries inPakistan.  Even now, if expeditiously handled, the 200kV link connecting India's northern grid to Pakistan would enable them to heave a sigh of relief. In other words, Pakistan has given a shock treatment by switching off the power talks, even before it started!

While the Indo-Pak Power trade has not even got off ground, history was being made on Saturday (5 October 2013), when electric power was officially exported to Bangladesh, with Bherama, a remote village, bordering Murshidabad district of West Bengal, receiving the electric power from NTPC the exporter.

Initially, this export trade in electricity will involve supply of 250 MW at a fixed tariff, and Bangladesh has the option to buy 250 MW more from open market in India.  A joint venture proposal in setting up a 1,320 MW thermal power plant at Khula is also envisaged.

This event was through video conferencing, with Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Sheikha Hasina in Bherama.

It may be recalled that India has invested in Bhutan and also will be importing power from that country.

Digressing for a moment, when the onion prices hit the ceiling in India, and new crops were expected to reach the market by mid September, there was a proposal to obtain a quick supply of onions, from both Pakistan and China. It was hoped that this stop gap arrangement would help stabilise the Indian market and this could be got across the border in truck loads.

Perhaps, the Sino-Pak axis played a small role coupled with hesitancy on the importer's side, and onions from both countries have not come in so far. At least there are no media reports confirming the arrival of onions, and prices reaching dizzy heights!  Whatever be the reasons, the ‘onion diplomacy’ with Pakistan appears to have failed.

All these would make one wonder if this sort of mutual mistrust is getting anyone anywhere. If the two neighbours are serious, they must restart the talks and get on with actions.

We have had enough of shock treatments and no tears left for lack of onions to cry.

 
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