China advised to expand investment in power sector

Nawaz felicitates NEA chairman on being chosen for conferment of Hilal-i-Pakistan award

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said China's National Energy Administration (NEA) could expand and diversify its investment in the power sector of Pakistan by joining the process of setting up transmission lines and coal-fired power projects.

In a meeting with NEA Chairman Nur Bekri, Premier Nawaz said both the countries were working for the prosperity of the people of the region through joint economic and development efforts.

Acknowledging the support of NEA, the prime minister said that completion of energy projects on fast track basis would help Pakistan in overcoming energy crisis.

The PM said Pakistan was fully committed to the timely and effective implementation of all projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).



"Pakistan shares Chinese vision of regional and global economic integration through strengthening connectivity which is the reason why Pakistan is among the early partners in the One Belt-One Road initiative," he said.

He felicitated the NEA chairman on being chosen for the conferment of Hilal-i-Pakistan award by the president of Pakistan for his meritorious services in the energy sector of Pakistan. The award will be formally bestowed in the investiture ceremony to be held at Aiwa-i-Sadr.

The PM said that completion of Sahiwal Coal-based Power Plant in record time would greatly help the government of Pakistan in resolving the problem of power shortages in the country.

The NEA chairman said that the administration was rigorously executing energy projects in Pakistan.



Appreciating the development vision of the present government in Pakistan, he said NEA was committed to complete the ongoing energy projects in Pakistan within the stipulated time.

The meeting was also attended by Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and other senior officials.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong was also present during the meeting.

Tapping indigenous hydel resources

Separately, Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif termed the feasibility studies being conducted by the Chinese side on Indus River cascade a major leap towards tapping indigenous hydel resources.

Asif said it is a big achievement which will not only cater to electricity requirements of the country but will also provide lifeline to the CPEC in the long run.

The federal minister expressed these views during a meeting with a high-powered Chinese delegation led by the NEA chairman at the Ministry of Water and Power.

Underscoring the importance of tapping hydel potential of Pakistan, the minister said that Chinese expertise in development of hydel projects can be best utilised by developing mega hydel projects on Indus River.



Asif said that during last visit of Premier Nawaz the conversion of study into a formal MoU for chalking out ways and means to finance and build these projects was a welcome step.

Earlier, while warmly welcoming the Chinese delegation, Asif said that the relations between Pakistan and China have reached new dimensions.

Thanking the Pakistan side for according such a warm welcome to his delegation, Bekri termed the two countries best neighbours, best friends and best brothers.

He said that the decision to take off CPEC was the right one at the right time by both the counties since it was bearing fruits as per expectations. He specially thanked the Ministry of Water and Power and its various entities for facilitating Chinese investors in different phases of setting up their projects.



The NEA chairman termed the meeting on Diamer Bhasha Dam successful and expressed hope that the process would continue and both the countries would further share their relevant data to proceed further in the case. He also termed the coordination between Ministry of Water and Power and NEA as exemplary.

The Chinese delegation presented a model of the newly-built first-ever CPEC project - Sahiwal Coal Power Plant - to the Ministry for Water and Power.

(With additional input by our correspondent)