PM Forms Task Force to Turn Pakistan Waste Into Energy
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the creation of a national task force to prepare Pakistan’s waste-to-energy policy, placing municipal waste, clean energy and private investment at the centre of a fresh policy push. The decision was reported from Islamabad on Friday as the federal government moved to build a structured framework for converting waste into usable power.
According to the official statement, the task force will review Pakistan’s existing waste-to-energy arrangements and develop a new national policy for the sector. The initiative is expected to examine how waste can be processed more efficiently, how energy projects can be made financially viable and how government institutions can coordinate implementation.
The body has been asked to prepare a comprehensive policy focused on private-sector participation, institutional strengthening and a clear roadmap for future projects. Officials believe that without a defined investment framework, waste-to-energy schemes can remain limited to isolated announcements rather than becoming part of Pakistan’s broader energy and urban management strategy.
Federal Minister Sardar Awais Leghari will serve as convener of the task force. The committee will also include Musadik Malik, Bilal Azhar Kayani, federal secretaries and relevant officials from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, ensuring representation from regions that face different waste management and energy supply challenges.
The inclusion of private-sector experts is an important part of the plan. Their role will be to advise the government on investment models, modern technology, project financing and operational structures that could help attract companies capable of building and running waste-to-energy facilities.
The task force will study international best practices and identify Pakistan’s legal, regulatory, financial and operational barriers. These barriers often slow infrastructure projects, especially where local governments, energy regulators, environmental agencies and private investors must work together under a single implementation framework.
Waste-to-energy projects carry wider importance for Pakistan because major cities continue to struggle with growing volumes of solid waste, landfill pressure and environmental pollution. If properly designed, such projects can help reduce unmanaged garbage, support cleaner cities and add a limited but useful source of electricity to the national energy mix.
The policy work may also create new opportunities for urban authorities and provincial governments. A national framework could help standardise project approvals, clarify tariff and financing questions, encourage public-private partnerships and reduce uncertainty for investors considering long-term infrastructure commitments.
The next phase will depend on how quickly the task force completes its review and turns its recommendations into practical policy measures. The government will then need to move from planning to execution by aligning regulations, financing tools and provincial coordination so that waste-to-energy projects can begin delivering visible public and economic benefits.