I am pleased to know that M/s Associated Group of Lahore are putting up a plant at Jamshoro, aimed at extracting 450 MT of LPG per day through Jamshoro Joint Venture Ltd. What adds to my pleasure is the fact that more and more attention is being paid to exploiting the nation's energy resources in Sindh.
The development of the sources of energy holds prime significance for the economic prosperity of Pakistan.
The government is determined to liberalise and de-regulate the oil and gas sectors with a view bringing in more enterprising management and improving effectiveness and efficiency.
For this purpose, it is providing unprecedented incentives to investors.
In order to catch up with the ever-increasing need for energy and to cater to the forces propelling the national economy, we must exploit all opportunities for making the optimum use of our fossil fuel resources including oil, gas and coal, besides considering import options for clean and inexpensive energy from neighbouring countries. It will need all our efforts and spirit of initiative to bridge the gap between supply and demand and reduce dependence on imported oil, which is still a drain on valuable foreign exchange.
I wish Jamshoro Joint Venture all the success and hope that, as a local industry, it will prove beneficial for the rural population of the region and provide avenues for greater commercial activity and employment.