CPEC: Pakistani federal and Sindh provincial govts sign MoU to link Thar coal mine reserves with railways system
Islamabad: federal and Sindh provincial governments have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to link Thar coal mine reserves with the railways system under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Federal Minister for Railways Saad Rafique and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah signed the MoU in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other federal ministers.
Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the MoU between the ministry of railways and the Sindh government to link Thar coal mine reserves with the railways system would ensure its efficient transportation and help generate inexpensive power.
The PM maintained that through an expansion of an efficient railway network, supply from the coal mines would be ensured to the coal-fired power plants and other related plants like cement manufacturing units.
“It would save billions of rupees spent annually on the import of costly coal to meet the requirements of the energy sector, he said, expressing the hope that the project would play an important role in the supply of inexpensive power,” he remarked.
The Prime Minister observed that on the occasion whatever was “more significant is the display of the power of unity, of national cohesion and national brotherhood, signifying our national identification.”
He said the federal and Sindh governments came together to ink the MoU and expressed the hope that it would be implemented by March 2023, enabling the transportation of coal to all parts of the country.
The Prime Minister terming the CPEC project as harbinger of economic revolution across the country, said such development ventures were pursued during the tenures of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and former president Asif Ali Zardari.
The Prime Minister mentioned that it was never too late to mend and mentioned that the signing of the MoU was a testament to a living nation and stressed that they needed to move above their personal likes and dislikes and serve the country.
He underlined that Thar reserves were a treasure for the country and according to an estimate, these were capable of producing millions of MW power for the next 300 years.
“It would ease out the burden on the foreign reserves as the country was importing costly coal and spending billions of rupees each year,” he added.
In his speech, Federal Minister for Railways Saad Rafique, underscored that it was a historic day as the MoU would pave way for Thar coal link connectivity.
He emphasized that it was encouraging that the federal government and the provincial government agreed to participate and generate funds for the project despite the current difficulties.
The minister said Thar coal reserves were among the world’s ranking and would meet the country’s requirements and Chinese and Pakistani companies were working to make it more beneficial.
He said that 105 kms green link connecting the coal mines with Port Qasim, Jamshoro power plant and other power plants would save billions of dollars.
He assured that they would strive to complete the project in the earliest, adding that its initial cost was estimated at Rs 55 billion, but they would work over cost-cutting.
In his comments, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that Thar coal project was started during 90s by Benazir Bhutto’s government and then revived by the incumbent Sindh provincial government. He stressed Thar coal reserves were a future and precious energy source of Pakistan.
He assured that the provincial government fully owned this project and it would produce low-priced power than anything else.
