Energy development: Oil and gas authority to be established in Punjab

The CM said that the Punjab was rich in natural resources and it was the need of the hour to utilise them for progress

LAHORE:

The national economy can be strengthened by developing and utilising the natural resources such as oil and gas, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Wednesday.

He was presiding over a meeting to review exploration of oil and gas in the province. The meeting decided to establish an autonomous oil and gas authority in the Punjab.

The chief minister said that the Punjab was rich in natural resources and it was the need of the hour to utilise them for progress and prosperity of people.

He said that investment in oil and gas sector should increase. The energy secretary briefed the meeting. The chief secretary, the Planning and Development Board chairman and the Punjab Power Development Company chairman were present.

Ulema meet CM

A delegation of ulema met the chief minister on Wednesday and discussed the Women Protection Act.

Talking to the delegation, the chief minister said that government could never even think of legislating against Quran and Sunnah.

The clerics welcomed the consultation started by the government. The delegation included Punjab Quran Board chairman Maulana Ghulam Muhammad Sialvi,  Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Jamia Naeemia head Maulana Raghib Hussain Naeemi, MPA Syed Mehfooz Mashhadi and Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan member Maulana Muhammad Khan.

A delegation of investors from Turkey met the chief minister on Wednesday and expressed interest in investment in energy sector in the Punjab. Addressing them, the chief minister said that work was being carried out vigorously on several projects to resolve the energy crisis. He said that besides traditional resources, the government was focusing on renewable energy resources.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th,  2016.