As many as three separate Memorandum of Under standings (MoUs) with total investment of $ 6.3 billion were signed between the government of Sindh and Japan-based company ETON to invest in priority projects of energy, infrastructure, and mass transit in a simple but impressive ceremony held at the CM House on Wednesday.
A statement issued by the CM House said the Director General Sindh Board of Investment (SBOI), Riazuddin Qureshi, and the Chief Executive ETON Company, Shageston Kono, signed on behalf of government of Sindh and ETON Company respectively.
Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Provincial Minister for Transport Mumtaz Jakhrani, Minister Information Shajreel Inam Memon, Food Minister Jam Mehtab Dahar, Advisor to Chief Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, Provincial Secretary Energy Agha Wasif Abbas, Secretary Transport Tuaha Ahmed, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, Secretary to CM Rai Sikandar and other officers of the concerned departments witnessed the ceremony.
The first MoU was signed by both parties showing the interest of ETON in assuming equity in both Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) and Thar Power Company (TPC) and provides entire debt to the two companies by investing $ 1.6 billion to participate in the construction of 600 MW power project at mouth of Thar Coal mining.
The second MoU aimed to invest in another coal-based power project for installation of two separate 660 MW power plants at Kati Bandar on Public Private Partnership (PPP) with investment of $ 2.2 billion.
This power plant will later be expanded to produce 6,600 MW after successful commissioning of the first phase of 2 X 600 mw.
The project will cater for a jetty, a transmission line, 235 KM rail track and other infrastructure facilities. The jetty will initially be used for import of general cargo and coal, till the Thar coal fields are fully exploited and after that the jetty would be used to export Thar coal. Laying of 335 km railway track for transportation of coal from Thar coal mines and 500/750 kv Ac/d transmission lines from Keti Bandar Power Plant to Thatta for onward power supply to Karachi and from Keti Bander to Jamshoro connecting with the rest of country will also be the part of this project.
The investment of 2×660 mw, power plants construction of jetty, transmission lines and rail track along with other infrastructure facilities is estimated $ 2.2 billion.
The third MoU was signed to make investment up to $ 4.5 billion in a JICA recommended Karachi Mass Transit Project (KMTP).
In this project, JICA has recommended six priority bus rapid transport (BRT) lines and two light rail transport (LRT) lines besides revival of Karachi Circular Railway KCR with estimated capital expenditure of about 4.5 billion US dollar.
The ETON signed MoU in the project along with government of Sindh and to provide entire debt to the project.
The Sindh government under the leadership of Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah has decided to pursue the projects of energy, infrastructure, mass transit and many other projects which are to directly benefit to people, accelerate economic activities and generate a great number of income and employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, the chief minister has invited the foreign investment companies for their investment, specially to convert the street lights of Karachi and other big cities of province into solar energy and producing solid waste based energy there so that increasing burden of electricity consumption be declined and people be provided relief accordingly .
The CM said this while talking to the Ambassador of Italy, Adriano Chiodi, who called on him at CM House on Wednesday evening. The chief minister said Sindh was blessed with multi-indigenous resources for generating electricity which included 180 billion tons of qualitative coal resources, powerful wind corridor and 70 per cent gas reserve.
Besides, Sindh had good potential in agro products and they were self sufficient in producing wheat, rice, sugar cane, fruits and vegetable especially delicious mangoes, he added.
He said various investment companies from China, Japan, Turkey, United Kingdom and USA had made investment to exploit untapped indigenous sources of energy but still there was great potential for investment in coal, wind and solar-based energy here in Sindh.
The ambassador of Italy said there were many companies in Italy interested in making investment in Karachi. He said they had good relations with the government and people of Pakistan.
He said that businessmen of Italy wanted to promote the trade and business activities with the people of Sindh. He said Italy had specialisation in various fields and their companies were ready to contribute in the development of Pakistan and Sindh.
