Pakistan, June 26 -- Pakistan uses much more energy to produce its goods compared to nearby countries, says a new World Bank report. The country's energy intensity is 4.2 megajoules per dollar of GDP. In contrast, Bangladesh uses only 1.9 and Sri Lanka just 1.7. This means Pakistan uses more than double the energy to make the same amount of economic output.

The report focuses on Pakistan's industries, which consume over 37% of the country's total energy. Rising energy costs have hurt many businesses, making them less competitive. Electricity prices have doubled, and gas costs have increased five times in recent years. Because of this, the report urges industries to invest in energy-saving technologies and processes.

Furthermore, Pakista...