Nawaz Sharif promises substantial decrease in power outages

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Monday expressed the confidence that there will be substantial decrease in load-shedding in coming months due to short measures initiated by the government.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the New Bong Escape Hydropower Project in Mirpur, the Prime Minister said a number of measures have been initiated to address the energy crisis including retirement of about 500 billion worth of circular debt. 

He said during his visit to China a number of agreements were signed with Chinese investors for putting up electricity projects in Pakistan. He hoped that together with the Chinese counterparts we will be able to complete a number of energy projects which will have very positive impact on electricity situation in the country.

The Prime Minister said the government wants to bring substantial improvement in electricity production to ensure cheap and abundant supply of electricity to the people. He said electricity projects are long term ventures but the country is blessed with enormous water resources which need to be optimally utilized. He said we are also initiating projects to produce electricity from unconventional sources like solar‚ wind and coal. He said long term projects are also being launched and we will gradually attain self-sufficiency in power production.

The Prime Minister termed completion of the first-ever hydel power project by the private sector as a milestone in the history of the country which will pave the way for construction of similar projects in Azad Kashmir and Pakistan. He hoped that Bong project would also open up more economic opportunities for people of Azad Kashmir.

He said development of Azad Kashmir is the top priority of the Government. He said Kashmir is lifeline of Pakistan. He said it is our utmost endeavor to develop Kashmir as a model so that its people reap benefits of development and their standard of living improves.

On this occasion‚ the Prime Minister assured foreign investors interested in setting up powers plants or undertake any investment activity that the government will be fully cooperative and respond to their needs. He said a one window operation would be launched to facilitate those desiring to undertake investment in different sectors of the economy.

Speaking on the occasion‚ Chairman HUBCO Hussain Dawood said that there are vast opportunities of investment in the energy sector in the country. He said that eighty million dollars investment will be made in energy sector in the country.

Chairman Laraib‚ Khalid Masood thanked the government of Pakistan and AJK for extending cooperation for the completion of the project. He said the project has been completed according to the international standards by making use of the latest technology.

Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif‚ Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Barjees Tahir‚ AJK President Sardar Muhammad Yaqub Khan‚ AJK Prime Minister Chaudhary Abdul Majeed and energy experts from across the country and abroad attended the ceremony.

Talking to media after inaugurating hydro power project‚ the Prime Minister said it is desire of the government to resolve the power crisis with the cooperation of the private sector. He‚ however‚ said if need be the government would itself launch power projects.

To a question he said the country would need hundreds of thousands of megawatts of electricity in the next 25 years and with this in view we will have to introduce short‚ medium and long term plans to meet the demand.

He said HUBCO has expressed willingness to start power projects with aggregate capacity of 2400 MW.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Jul 15 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.