Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif visited the 1320 megawatt coal power plant in Sahiwal and reviewed the progress in the project. He also presided over a meeting there. He expressed satisfaction over pace of work on the project. The chief minister also inspected the production unit and control room of the project.
Chinese experts gave a briefing to the chief minister regarding the project. The chief minister congratulated the Chinese engineers doing a remarkable job.
The CM said that this project is on the verge of breaking the world record for being completed in the least span of time. He added that once the project starts operating, it will reduce load shedding by 25 per cent of the load-shedding these days.
After visiting different sections of the plant, the chief minister, while talking to the media said that Sahiwal Coal Power Plant will generate 1320 megawatts of electricity at a cost of Rs 192 billion.
The first unit of Sahiwal Coal Power Plant will start functioning by May 20, and will generate 660 megawatts of electricity. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif will inaugurate the first unit of this project. With the help of the second unit, that is expected to start functioning in June this year, another 660 megawatts of electricity will be added to the national grid and the Chinese leadership will come to attend the inauguration of the plant.
The CM said that all projects falling in the ambit of CPEC are being completed in a transparent manner. He said that in order to ensure environmental protection, super critical technology has been applied to the plant. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N government is endeavoring to resolve the ongoing energy crisis in the country and that the day is not so far when darkness will eventually vanish from this country.
He said that those who are creating hurdles in the journey of progress of the people should be stopped. He added that the politics of sit-ins is the main hurdle in the journey towards prosperity. He appealed to the leaders of other political parties to mend their ways. He said that such opportunities seldom appear in a nation’s history. “If Allah has provided an opportunity to the nation for the development of the country then no effort should be made to impede it” the CM said. He said that national resources were looted ruthlessly by the former rulers.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif many energy projects are being completed; Bhikki Gas Power Plant is producing 717 megawatts of electricity.
He said that China’s decision to invest 52 billion dollars in Pakistan is an expression of the former’s confidence in the leadership of the prime minister of Pakistan. He said that the prime minister is working tirelessly to resolve the problems of the people of Pakistan.
While responding to a question, the chief minister said that he will not let anyone usurp the rights of the cultivators. Law will come into force against those who usurp the rights of cultivators and that the corrupt officials of food department will be thrown behind bars, if caught in graft. He said that the protest by the staff of the food department is useless and that the wheat procurement process will continue in a transparent manner.
While briefing the chief minister, the Chinese experts said that 30,000 plants will be grown at the site of plant. The chief minister was informed that 2.5 hundred thousand tonne stock of coal is present at the site.
