CPEC’s Thar Coal project future of Pakistan: Power Minister

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Power Division Khurram Dastagir Khan has said that Thar Coal – powered by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – was the future of Pakistan and could fulfill the electricity demand of the country.

He was winding up discussion on a motion moved by Senator Taj Haider to discuss the failure to tap into true potential of Thar Coal, pertaining to inordinate delay in construction of second transmission line and Islamkot-Chor Railway line that had left the national grid deprived of affordable electricity.

Sharing the details of Thar Coal project, the minister mentioned that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif along with ex-President Asif Zardari had laid down the foundation of Thar Coal project in 2014 and extended it by establishing four more plants in 2015 and 2016.

He maintained that 2,640 Megawatts (MW) electricity was being produced from Thar Coal power plants and held PTI government responsible for delay in completion of these projects, saying the former ruling party had an anti-development agenda.

The minister underlined that the government was paying special attention to exploit the potential of indigenous energy resources in order to produce cheap electricity and reduce reliance on imported fuel.

Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated two coal-fired power plants with a capacity of 1,650 megawatt of electricity in Tharparkar.

Addressing the ceremony at the Islamkot area of Thar, the Prime Minister stressed that the projects would turn the desert into an economic hub.

The projects including the 1,320 megawatt Shanghai Electric power plant and 330 MW Thal Nova power plant will annually generate 11.24 billion units of low-cost electricity.

Through the direct investment of over 3 billion dollars into these projects, the production of coal-based electricity in Thar will increase up to 3,300 MW.

Shehbaz Sharif expressed confidence that the journey of progress would spread across the country and would strengthen the national economy.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to the government of China for extending support to Pakistan in carrying out development projects under the CPEC.

He vowed that the coalition government will put in all efforts to materialize the CPEC projects, with the agriculture sector as its next phase.