Energy crisis: ‘Solar park to generate 1,000MW’
Government makes biggest ever investment in south Punjab’s history in the form of Quaid-i-Azam Solar Energy Project.
File photo of Chief Minister of Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif PHOTO: INP
BAHAWALPUR:
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday the government had made the biggest ever investment in south Punjab’s history in the form of Quaid-i-Azam Solar Energy Project.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Rs200 billion power project at Noor Sar village in Cholistan near Bahawalpur.
The CM said the solar park had the capacity to generate 1,000MW electricity. In its first phase [starting in the first quarter of 2014] he said it would produce 100MW.
“The project will open business opportunities and encourage foreign investment… new hotels will be built in the area… the airport will also be upgraded,” he said.
“This is the biggest project in Bahawalpur’s history and a step towards eliminating the sense of deprivation that has prevailed here,” he added.
Sharif said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claimed to be the “champions of south Punjab” but people had voted them out of power and opted for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
He said billions of rupees had been spent on Multan airport but it was still incomplete.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the project would populate a new city and thus enhance the importance of Bahawalpur.
He said resources would be provided for infrastructure development at Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park. He said the government was working on hydel, solar, coal, biogas, biomass and other sources of power generation and several agreements had been signed with power generation companies for this purpose.
He said there would be no political appointments to the solar project team. “The people of Bahawalpur will be preferred in the jobs,” he said.
Sharif said he considered Nawab Salahuddin “an elder brother.” He also said Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi had been a great leader. Several Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz parliamentarians were present on the occasion.
Later, the chief minister visited the newly constructed 125-bed district headquarters hospital in Lodhran.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2013.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday the government had made the biggest ever investment in south Punjab’s history in the form of Quaid-i-Azam Solar Energy Project.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Rs200 billion power project at Noor Sar village in Cholistan near Bahawalpur.
The CM said the solar park had the capacity to generate 1,000MW electricity. In its first phase [starting in the first quarter of 2014] he said it would produce 100MW.
“The project will open business opportunities and encourage foreign investment… new hotels will be built in the area… the airport will also be upgraded,” he said.
“This is the biggest project in Bahawalpur’s history and a step towards eliminating the sense of deprivation that has prevailed here,” he added.
Sharif said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) claimed to be the “champions of south Punjab” but people had voted them out of power and opted for Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.
He said billions of rupees had been spent on Multan airport but it was still incomplete.
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the project would populate a new city and thus enhance the importance of Bahawalpur.
He said resources would be provided for infrastructure development at Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park. He said the government was working on hydel, solar, coal, biogas, biomass and other sources of power generation and several agreements had been signed with power generation companies for this purpose.
He said there would be no political appointments to the solar project team. “The people of Bahawalpur will be preferred in the jobs,” he said.
Sharif said he considered Nawab Salahuddin “an elder brother.” He also said Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi had been a great leader. Several Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz parliamentarians were present on the occasion.
Later, the chief minister visited the newly constructed 125-bed district headquarters hospital in Lodhran.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 13th, 2013.