Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan was facing a serious energy crisis which had badly affected the national economy and various social sectors including education, health and agriculture.
The chief minister was talking to a delegation of the ZTE Corporation led by its Vice President Le Guang Yong. Provincial Energy Minister Sher Ali Khan, Energy Coordinator Shahid Riaz Gondal, the Local Government Secretary, the LDA Director General, NESPAK Officials and other officers concerned were also present at the occasion. Matters regarding solar streetlights and cooperation in energy projects were discussed in the meeting.
Shahbaz said that a solution for this electricity crisis was essential for national development, the acceleration of the industrial process and for the generation of job opportunities. He said that the government was making serious efforts to deal with the energy problem and was expeditiously working on various alternate resource power generation projects. Furthermore, Shahbaz said that a number of agreements for power generation with different Chinese companies had also been signed. He said that China’s ZTE Corporation could also extend its cooperation in the energy sector.
Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz said that there was a gap between the supply and demand of gas and electricity and there was need to expeditiously work on energy projects. He said that every moment is precious and efforts are being made on war footing to rid the people of the shortage of electricity. He said that steps were being taken for the early implementation of numerous agreements, signed with Chinese companies, in the energy sector. He said that besides the traditional methods of power production, rapid progress was also being made for the implementation of energy generation projects from alternative resources. He said that maintaining transparency and high standards in the execution of development projects was the Punjab government’s hallmark.
Moreover, he said that planning for setting up the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park over a vast area in Cholistan was ongoing , adding that several Chinese companies had expressed their willingness for investment in the project. Shahbaz also revealed that a memorandum of understanding had been signed with China and Qatar based companies for setting up a 6600MW coal power plant in Gadani. He said that the government had also devised a plan for the conversion of streetlights and traffic signals to solar energy under a phased programme and that speedy progress was being made in that regard. While speaking at the occasion, Yong said that his company was interested in enhancing cooperation with the Punjab government in the energy sector, adding that joint ventures could be launched in the said sector.
