In order to chart out ways for close collaboration in the energy sector, Turkey and Pakistan have agreed to form a technical working group in the energy sector. Secretary of Ministry of Water and Power Mr Saif Ullah Chatta who was leading a three-member delegation discussed this during his meetings with Turkish officials at Ankara.
The Pakistan official is visiting Turkey on the instruction of the prime minister in order to learn from the Turkish experience in privatization of electricity sector. While Pakistan has plans to privatize hydal projects, Turkey has successfully made 100pc privatization of the power distribution companies and created a multi-buyer and multi-sector electricity market.
The Pakistani delegation held extensive meeting with Secretary of the Turkish Ministry of Energy & Natural Resources Mr Metin Kilci who offered to help Pakistan in organizing a road show in Turkey where Pakistan could sensitize Turkish entrepreneurs about the privatization plans and would showcase potential projects in the hydel, coal and renewable energy sector to Turkish investors. Mr Metin informed that Turkey generated about US$ 50 billion from power sector privatization. He said as a result of privatization, public sector was saving over US $ 10 billion per annum which were earlier losses of the power sector entities. Similarly, line losses were also reduced substantially in the post-privatization era, he added.