Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to expedite the construction work on the Gwadar Power Plant. The minister passed these directives while chairing a meeting to review the progress of Gwadar Power Plant, which was attended by the ministry officials, Managing Director of Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB), the Chinese Minister-Counselor Yang Guangyuan and other relevant stakeholders, a news release said.
The PPIB is processing the 300MW coal power project at Gwadar, being developed by M/s CIHC Pak Power Company (Pvt) Limited (CPPCL). The project is in the ‘priority list’ of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and holds paramount importance for the energy infrastructure and economic development of the region.
“The supply of electricity is essential in Gwadar and no delay will be accepted,” said the minister while directing the stakeholders concerned to remove all the bottlenecks and start the construction work immediately.
Terming Gwadar ‘the gateway of CPEC’, the minister said that the incumbent government had expedited the implementation on phase 2 of the CPEC while integrating it with five new economic corridors.
“The development of Gwadar Port City, New Gwadar International Airport and East Bay Expressway is going to transform the city of Gwadar into a maritime trade hub and a new smart port for the region. It will also lead to industrialization in Balochistan,” he added.—APP