Bilateral cooperation: ‘Chinese investment in energy is welcome relief’

Chief minister says the investment would boost economic ties.

LAHORE:

“The Chinese government has promised an investment of $20 billion in Pakistan’s energy sector. The Pakistani government appreciates this gesture,” Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday.

He said besides the investment, the Chinese government had promised an economic package of $30 billion, the biggest foreign investment in Pakistan’s history.

He said Chinese companies would also invest in transport and infrastructure sectors. He was talking to lawmakers who called on him.

The chief minister said his recent visit to China was part of the government’s plan to secure foreign investment. He said investment in energy sector was a much-needed relief to Pakistan’s economy.

He said the Chinese investment would boost economic ties and open more avenues for cooperation.

He said controlling the energy crisis was essential for promotion of trade and economic activities and stability of the national economy.

He said the government was striving to produce low-cost electricity and focusing on power generation through coal, which was cheaper than thermal power.

Minister of State for Religious Affairs Pir Aminul Hasnaat, MNA Tehmina Daultana, MPAs Irfan Daultana, Khalid Ghani Chaudhary, Maulana Ilyas Chinioti and Muhammad Taufeeq Butt were present on the occassion.

‘Efforts being made for promotion of information technology’

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday that promotion of information technology was among the top priorities of the government.

He was talking to a delegation led by Pakistan Software Houses Association for Information Technology Chairman Saleem Ghouri.

Matters regarding promotion of IT and the Asia Pacific ICT Awards 2014 were discussed.

The chief minister said the government recognised the need to improve the information technology structure and had set up a university in Lahore to provide IT education.

He said Arfa Karim Software Technology Park had been set up for the same purpose. He said prominent foreign companies associated with the IT sector were working at the software technology park.

He said the government hoped to make Lahore the centre of IT development.

He said school textbooks were being made available online under the e-learning programme. He said the government was aiming to increase the scope of the programme.

He said work had been started on a Knowledge Parks City in Lahore was also being done.

He said international IT universities had been invited to set up their campuses at the city.

Shahbaz Sharif said that holding the Asia Pacific ICT Award 2014 in Pakistan would help promotion of IT industry in the country.

Minister for Finance Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, MPA Ayesha Ghaus Pasha and the Punjab Information Technology Board chairman were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2014.