Glut of energy: 20,000MW will be generated through China’s help, says CM

Four MoUs signed between Chinese company and industrial groups in the Punjab.

LAHORE:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday said that energy projects with a combined capacity of 20,000 megawatts would be set up in the country under the Pak-China Economic Corridor.

The friendship between Pakistan and China had turned into an economic relationship, he said at the signing ceremony of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) between a Chinese group, Shandong Ruyi, and different industrial groups in the Punjab.

Sharif said the country’s economy, agriculture and industry would flourish within a few years.

He said the Pakistan-China friendship had strengthened over the years.

“The Chinese government, leadership and people have reposed great confidence in the Pakistani government.”

The chief minister said a Rs200 billion investment would be made in the Ruyi Masood Textile Park in Faisalabad; the project was launched on Wednesday.

He said the foundation stone of 1,320MW coal-fired power plant would be laid in Sahiwal on Friday (today). The project, to be completed with the cooperation of China, would start generating electricity in December 2016, he said.

He said the Nandipur power project would be inaugurated on Saturday (tomorrow), contributing 100MW to the national grid.

The chief minister said Chinese investors had taken the lead in investing in development projects in Pakistan.

Shairf said the MoUs would help improve economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Shandong Ruyi Chairman Yafu Qiu said the group would do its best to complete the energy projects ahead of schedule.

Separately, a delegation from the management consultant company, McKinsey, led by its head for Asia Gordon Orr met Sharif.

It was decided that McKinsey would help the government reform the taxation system, control electricity line losses.

Calling national resources a sacred trust, the chief minister said the government was spending wisely for the welfare of the people.

He stressed the need for adopting measures to increase resources and simplify the tax recovery system. He said stern action should be taken against tax evaders.

Sharif said installation of smart meters could help control line losses and electricity theft. He said McKinsey could cooperate in the development of livestock and dairy farming.

Finance, Excise and Taxation Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Chief Mister’s Special Assistant on Livestock Arshad Jutt, Punjab Assembly member Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, the chief secretary and the Planning and Development Board chairman attended the meeting.

Sharif said the additional resources generated through an improved tax-collection system would be spent on the betterment of people.

Separately, the chief minister said the case of a 25-year-old who was killed by her relatives outside the Lahore High Court on Tuesday should be tried in an anti-terrorism court. He ordered the inspector general of police to spare no efforts for the arrest of the accused.“Such brutal incidents are a matter of concern for society. The killing of the woman by her father and brothers reflects a violent attitude in society that should be curbed,” the chief minister said in a statement.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2014.