Federal Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Asif (R), Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi (C), US AMbassador to Pakistan Richard Olson (2nd R) and US Special Envoy for International Energy Affairs Ambassador Carlos Pascual (2nd R) prior to the fifth Energy Working Group meeting in Washington. PHOTO: PID
Ambassador Carlos Pascual, US Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif co-chaired the meeting.
Pakistan is seeking US cooperation in a host of areas including exploration of its shale gas reserves, materialisation of its coal-based projects and liquefied natural gas.
Pakistan is expecting financial assistance from US and other international financial institutions for the completion of Dasu and Diamer Bhasha Dam to meet its energy and water needs.
The US Ambassador in Islamabad Richard Olson, Charge de Affaires at the Pakistani embassy in Washington Asad M Khan, and senior officials from the two countries also attended the meeting.
Pakistan would also seek US cooperation in exploit its huge shale gas reserves. Pakistan's shale gas reserves are estimated to be one of the largest in the world.
The two sides are also expected to discuss cooperation in alternate sources of energy. The Iran-Pakistan and Turkemnistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline projects for import of gas are also expected to come under discussion.
According to the State Department, the United States and Pakistan have been working closely to develop and diversify the Pakistan’s energy sector.
"The United States has supported increased energy generation, improved distribution, management, revenue collection, and policy reform. Since October 2009, the United States has helped add 1,000 megawatts of capacity to Pakistan's grid "enough to supply electricity for more than 16 million people."
The Strategic Dialogue framework was re-started after the pause of almost two years during the Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to Pakistan in August this year.
During Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's visit to Washington last month, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in five major areas under the strategic partnership.
At the conclusion of the Energy Group meeting, the Pakistani delegation would proceed to Houston for exploring cooperation with American investors in a series of meetings.
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Already many talks have been made but importantly the conditional aid is not in Pakistan’s favour besides seeking the resolution of energy crises. The US only objective is the safe exit from Afghanistan, signing civil nuclear technology with India instead of its ally in WOT, Pakistan is not in benefit of regional stability.
Solving Pakistan's power crisis, a source of great exasperation for many Pakistanis that is getting progressively worse with each passing year, should be a priority in Washington. This is where the United States and its civilian nuclear deal could rush in and save the day.
The United States has had diplomatic relations with Pakistan since its 1947 independence from the United Kingdom. The two countries' common interest in peace and stability in South Asia has informed their relationship over the decades. Pakistan is passing through energy shortfall and it can be possible by the mutual cooperation between US and Pakistan. It will also help Pakistan to come out of economic crisis as well. It is the dire need of ime for Pakistan to go for energy cooperation and to explore more revenues of gas shales.
US also comes forward to share its part in energy crisis of Pakistan. The country is in a dire need of energy boost up and work extensively from all sides to get rid of this extensive energy deficit. China is supporting very cordially on the development of nuclear power plants in a very speedy manner in Pakistan. Now US offers of energy cooperation can be fruitful. Pakistan shows its great interest on civil nuclear cooperation with US like Indo-US nuclear deal. But US totally refuse this option and this is question what to be offered from US side in meeting the energy challenges of Pakistan. This new move hopes to be productive and operational soon to take Pakistan on the way towards prosperity.
After a hiatus of two years of strained ties U.S and Pakistan has decided to work together in order to get rid of energy crisis in Pakistan. The United States and Pakistan have a strong partnership in the energy sector, recognizing the central role a stable supply of energy plays in accelerating Pakistan’s economic growth. Pakistan is seeking US co-operation in a host of areas including exploration of its shale gas reserves, materialisation of its coal-based projects and liquefied natural gas. Pakistan will explore co-operation in getting US technology to exploit its huge reserves of shale gas, which are estimated to be one of the biggest in the world.
Such attempts / meetings clearly indicates that America bashing by PML-N ( Choudhary Nisar) is a compulsion to appease the domestic audience ( not to fall behind in the race) hyped by the right/extreme wing political parties using the issue of drone strikes. Poor regime is caught in between the responsibility to improve the economy while wearing the religion to counter the extremist religious thought process backed by actions too.