Pak-China cooperation: New agreements will end energy crisis: Shahbaz

Chief minister says these projects will be completed speedily and in a transparent manner.

LAHORE: The agreements signed between Pakistan and China will help end the energy crisis in the country, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Sunday.

He was talking to heads of several Chinese companies who met him in Beijing.

“A number of agreements have been signed for generation of power during the visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to China. They will eliminate the energy crisis on a permanent basis and people will be rid of load-shedding,” Shahbaz said.



“The solution of the shortage of electricity will accelerate industrial and trade activities. New job opportunities will also be created, resulting in overcoming poverty alleviation. Low-cost electricity will be available once coal power plants are commissioned with the cooperation of China,” he said.

The chief minister said that the agreements between Pakistan and China for power generation and economic development were an important step towards progress of the country.

“These agreements will prove to be a milestone in bilateral cooperation, strengthening the Pak-China friendship. These projects will be completed speedily and in a transparent manner and will change the destiny of the people of Pakistan. A new era of progress and prosperity will usher in,” Shahbaz said.

He said that solution of energy crisis at the earliest was essential for the country’s progress.

He said that the interest shown by China in the energy sector was highly encouraging.

“The energy crisis in Pakistan will not have been so serious today if past governments had shown interest in the generation of power from coal,” the chief minister said.

Shahbaz said that the Punjab government was planning to generate electricity from cheaper sources which would yield positive results.

“Special incentives are being offered to foreign investors in the energy sector,” he said.

The chief minister said that the politics of sit-ins and protests had caused a temporary delay in the power projects with the help of China.

“Now these agreements have been signed and it will disappoint the enemies of progress and prosperity of the country.

The agreements of investment of billions of dollars reflect the full confidence of the government and leaders of China in the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,” Shahbaz said.

He said that completing projects with transparency and speed was a hallmark of the government. “No sit-in or protest can stop the process of progress and prosperity of the country,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 10^th, 2014.