Mushahid says CPEC will help develop Balochistan, KP and Gilgit-Baltistan with construction of Western route
Committee expresses concern over imported coal instead of mining it indigenously
The Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) met on Wednesday in the Parliament House with its Chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, in the chair; the Committee was briefed on energy related projects in the CPEC by the Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif and Secretary Younas Dhaga.
The Parliamentary Committee was briefed on 14 Early Harvest projects of energy which would be completed in March 2018 and would generate 10,400MW of electricity. Additionally, two transmission lines would be built from Matiari to Lahore with a length of 880 km, which will transmit 4,000MW of electricity. For the first time, the government has initiated the project to upgrade and modernise transmission lines. The committee was briefed about each of the projects, including actively promoted projects for the medium term which would generate 6,645MW of electricity.
The Parliamentary Committee praised the efforts being made for achievement of CPEC goals through implementation of decisions unanimously arrived at the All Parties Conference convened on May 28 at the PM House.
The Parliamentary Committee expressed concerns regarding import of coal for power generation projects and expressed the hope that coal would also be mined indigenously, especially from Thar and other coal mining areas, so that dependence on imported coal is shed.
The Committee also directed the Ministry of Water and Power to do a mapping survey of the wind corridor in Balochistan and Khyber Pakntunkhwa (KP) so that a conducive environment can be created for investors keen on investing in renewable energy in both these provinces.
The committee expressed satisfaction at the fact that its proposal for the dual carriage of the Western route, which they decided on October 26, had been accepted at the last week’s Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting held between China and Pakistan in Karachi.
Senator Mushahid Hussain briefed the committee about his meeting with the Gilgit Baltistan Chief Minister Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman and said that the people and government of Gilgit Baltistan would be kept in the loop and the chief minister would be given a special invitation. At the meeting, the Gilgit Baltistan chief minister was represented by the Senior Minister for Finance and Water and Power, Haji Akbar Taban.
Senator Mushahid Hussain told media personnel that the Parliamentary Committee would visit Gwadar on November 28-29 for a comprehensive briefing on the Gwadar port and its related projects and that members of the committee would be traveling from the starting point of the Western route from Gwadar to Ratto Dero, a strip of 670 km to inspect the Western route.
The Parliamentary Committee Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain also directed the Ministry of Water and Power to resolve the issues of land acquisition for the Sukki Kenari power project in KP and in this regard, he said that the Ministry should coordinate with Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi. The committee had appointed Tirmizi as the coordinator to resolve the issue of land with the people and sponsors of the project within the month of November. The meeting ended with a mutual vote of thanks.
The members who attended the meeting include M/s Akram Khan Durrani, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Talha Mehmood, Hasil Bizenjo, Gen. (r) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Fateh Mohammad Hasni, Shibli Faraz, Asad Umar, Gen. Qadir Baloch, Baz Mohammad Khan, Rana Afzal, Dr Ibadullah and National Assembly and Parliamentary Committee Secretary Mohammad Riaz, Additional Secretary Qamar Suhail Lodhi and Joint Secretary Khalid Mahmood.
