Energy projects: $11bn being spent in Sindh, says Shahbaz

By: M RAFIQUE GORAYA

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said he wants to tell the nation that investment of 36 billion dollars is being made for the projects of electricity in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Out of this, 11 billion dollars are being spent on energy projects in Sindh, while 6.5 billion dollars on energy projects in Punjab, Similarly, he said work is continuing on projects of billions of dollars in KPK and Balochistan as well.

Shahbaz Sharif said that work is being carried out speedily on energy projects under CPEC and completion of these projects will result in removing darkness from the country. Abundant power supply will be available for industry, agriculture, education and other sectors in the country, he added.

Shahbaz Sharif was talking to newsmen after reviewing progress work on the 1,320 megawatts coal power plant in Sahiwal on Thursday. Chinese engineers and experts gave a briefing to the Chief Minister regarding the progress on the project

Vice Administrator of National Energy Administration of China Li Fanrog, Chinese Counsel General Yu Borne, members of Chinese delegation and senior officers of Chinese companies working on Sahiwal Coal Power Plant were also present on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said that 60 percent work of Sahiwal Coal Power Project has been completed within a year and it will start generation of electricity in the middle of 2017.

Shahbaz said that Sahiwal Coal Power Plant is bigger than Neelam Jhelum Hydro Project. Corruption was committed by rulers of the past in Neelam Jhelum Hydro Project and resources of the country were ruined.

He said 900-megawatt electricity will be generated through Neelam Jhelum Hydro Project while Sahiwal Coal Power Project will produce 1320 megawatt electricity. Shahbaz Sharif said that national resources were looted ruthlessly in the past and Neelam Jhelum Project is worst example of corruption.

He said Sahiwal Coal Power Project and Nandipur Power Project is comparison of those working and looters of resources, machinery of Nandipur Power Project rusted at Karachi Port for three years during the tenure of former federal government which caused loss of billions of rupees.

The Chief Minister warned that if development process was stopped through sit-ins and protests then God forbid, this will be a tragedy for Pakistan like 1971 therefore, the hand of those creating hurdles in the journey of progress of the people should be stopped.

He said that it will be a national crime to create hurdles through protests and sit-ins in energy projects being set up speedily. He appealed to the leaders of political parties to mend their ways as such opportunities become available to the nations once in centuries.

He said if Allah Almighty has provided a golden opportunity for the development of Pakistan then no effort should be made to stop this process, let government and people do their work and hurdles should not be created in the progress of the country.

He also appealed them to make efforts according to the constitution if they have problems or demands; we live in a civilized society and therefore they should go to parliament, supreme court, or election commission as such ways are adopted in civilized societies for resolving problems. He said that problems are not resolved through protest and negative politics.