ISLAMABAD: In a bid to introduce an inclusive development model in the power sector of Pakistan, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has envisioned developing a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) culture with its drive of “Power with Prosperity”.

Speaking at a webinar, Chairman NEPRA, Tauseef H. Farooqi saif authority was proactively working on an inclusive development model in consultation with the industry stakeholders and to learn from the already executed successful models.

“NEPRA envisioned to transform the socio-economic landscape of Pakistan by bringing about the most efficient and fair business practices to ensure affordable, reliable, and sustainable power services with the active engagement and development of local communities”.

He expressed the intend to create buy-in and broad-based acceptance of NEPRA’s CSR strategy by providing a platform to the licensees to execute inclusive and participatory development models so that the power becomes means to bring prosperity.

He further said that Engro Energy Limited (EEL) is the CSR champion and a trendsetter in the power sector of Pakistan and now is the right time to learn from its experience and share further with the CSR intenders of the power industry.

Detailing upon the philosophy behind Engro’s inclusive development model, Engro Energy Limited (EEL) Chief Executive Officer, Ahsan Zafar Syed said that the recipe for a successful CSR model was a combination of partnering with stakeholders and bringing on board the social sector experts and not mere arrangements of funds. “As a responsible corporate citizen we strive to deploy inclusive business in all communities that we operate”.

NEPRA CSR Consultant, Huma Zafar shared CSR strategy that provides a roadmap for all licensees on how to ensure that electric power brings prosperity in Pakistan at the community level.

“Currently all CSR activities are being undertaken at self-discretion and without any dedicated facilitating arm of the federal and provincial agencies, and the approach towards CSR is normally seen to be reactive and primitive”.

“However, being a socially responsive power sector regulator, NEPRA is ready to play the role of enabler for the execution of meaningful CSR through its licensees to achieve the objective of inclusive development aligning CSR goals with United Nations-Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) 2030.”

She also shared the proactive response received from the key players in the power sector as well as local and global development organizations to join hands with NEPRA for impactful CSR programs creating difference at the national level to improve Pakistan’s rank at human development index.

Chief Executive Officer of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC), Syed Abul Fazal Rizvi who is also heading the Thar Foundation, said CSR had now evolved to engender stakeholder capitalism and not shareholder capitalism. “The real stakeholders of the development of our project are people of Thar who must achieve the economic gains of the development taking place in the area,” he said.

“Thar Foundation has set up a target to make Islamkot Taulka, our primary beneficiary area, Pakistan’s first UN-SDG compliant area by 2024,” Rizvi added.

Representative of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr. Sara also highlighted their contributions towards the socio-economic uplift of the local community in Mianwali and Karachi districts.