The government has informed the Senate that a Malaysian Company has offered to set up a plant in Iran to generate and supply 3000MW electricity to Pakistan. Replying to questions during question-hour in the Senate on Thursday, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar said that Quetta would become hub for import of electricity if on-going negotiation becomes successful and a power plant was set up in Iran to produce electricity for Pakistan.
The minister further explained that the company which expressed desire to set up plant to generate and supply electricity to Pakistan is from private sector and making the entire investment. In reply to a question of Senator Professor Ibrahim, Qamar said that a campaign has been launched against electricity theft, and more than 2000 cases have been registered.
He said that in the past no strict action was taken in cases of electricity theft but now the government has decided to strictly deal with the issue and all the officials have been directed to take action against the people involved in power theft. The minister said that the government is making a harsher law in this regard. The minister also informed the Senate that there is a proposal for construction of 220KV Grid Station at Chakdara and its associated 220KV Chakdara-Mardan Transmission Line, which is expected to be constructed during 2013-14.
About the land acquisition for Kurrain Tango Dam, he said that Rs 100 million have been allocated in PSDP 2011-12 for the project including cost for land acquisition. In the approved PC-I three years have been indicated for the land acquisition for the entire project. However, this is subject to provision of budget allocation/ security arrangement by Political Agent.
He said that at present the up-gradation of National Power Control Centre is in advance stage of implementation and major activities of design, manufacture, delivery, installation of material and telecommunication equipment at 500/220 KV substation and power plants has been completed. Now their testing/commissioning and linkage with new SCADA computers at National Control Centre is in progress.
The project is expected to be completed in February, 2012. On completion of the project NPCC will be able to efficiently control and monitor the NTDC's 500/220 KV transmission network and power plants.
Replying to a question of opposition leader, Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haidri on derogatory attitude of Sui Gas official with the common man, Minister for Labour Syed Khurshid Shah said no official has the right to insult the respectable citizen of the country and if any official of the gas company was involved in this kind of behaviour, action would be taken against him. Senator Ismail Buledi staged a walkout from the House in protest of ignoring Balochistan in job quota and other senators from the provinces also followed and joined him. Acting Chairman Senate Jan Muhammad Jamali also remarked that quota of Balochistan should be implemented. Senator Zahid Khan of Awami National Party (ANP) complained that Punjab was given excessive than allocated quota in employment.