After chairing a briefing session on energy and infrastructure projects, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has opined that the government is making serious efforts to resolve the energy crisis. Nonetheless, the allocation of $ 18.783 billion for power sector projects including 16 for power generation, nine for transmission, five for power distribution and four under the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission is laudable. The real cause of concern is the absence of information regarding a timeframe for the completion of these assignments. During its election campaign, the PML-N had made tall claims that it would rid the nation of the curse of electricity shortages within months. The government failed to keep its promise. After assuming power in 2013, when the government faced the ground realities, it retreated in the face of a mighty energy crisis and changed its assertions. Now, the PML-N government claims that the country will be free of the energy crisis before 2018. Unfortunately, the modes operandi is still in the dark. How it will happen, at what cost and in how many years are some of the questions not answered yet. A coherent strategy for dealing with the issue of circular debt and non-payment of outstanding utility dues from a large number of private and public sector entities is yet to be developed. The government must stick to real and achievable objectives. The government has predicted that the ongoing energy projects would be completed by 2017, but no attention is being paid to the natural increase in demand over the next three years. The main reason for the defeat of the PPP in the previous general elections was the energy crisis and now the incumbent government is also stuck with this issue. It is in the interest of the PML-N government that it should tell the truth to the nation. Maintaining false illusions might prove more detrimental to the government in the long run. Instead of indulging in jugglery of words and issuance of misleading statements, a clear picture of the actual scenario related to the power shortage should be presented. If the government is sincere in its efforts, it should make public the projects’ timeframe and funding required for completion. The government must take the masses into confidence, only then can it survive the backlash of the crisis with some dignity. The government must be aware that the energy crisis is a serious issue and needs to be dealt with on a war footing. The economic growth of the country mainly depends on an uninterrupted supply of electricity to industry and commerce. The absence of this important utility can spark massive protests, even anarchy, and may culminate in the toppling of the regime. The government should be courageous and not mislead the public on the energy crisis any more. *