Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan and China on Monday signed an agreement for construction of $1.5 billion Azad Pattan Hydel Power project under the framework of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Prime Minister Imran Khan witnessed the signing of the agreement with China Gezhouba Group Company Limited for Azad Pattan Hydropower Project at a ceremony in Islamabad.
Addressing the ceremony, PM Imran said that 700.7 megawatts Azad Pattan project will enable the country to move towards cheaper and greener power while generating local job opportunities. He said that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the future of Pakistan, adding that it will prove to be a milestone in the country’s development and prosperity. The prime minister said that China is emerging as an economic power on the world’s map and Pakistan can learn a lot from its development.
Meanwhile, taking to the micro-blogging website, Twitter, Chairman CPEC Authority Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa said that the project will create over 3000 jobs, adding that the mega project will provide an annual income of Rs1.38 billion to Punjab and Azad Kashmir from water use.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa has said that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) made another achievement by signing the project of Azad Pattan Hydel power.
“CPEC makes another milestone achievement; Prime Minister Imran Khan will grace the signing ceremony of Azad Pattan Hydel power Project today with China Gezhouba,” Bajwa who is also head of CPEC Authority said in a tweet.
He said the country was moving towards cheaper and greener power as after completion of hydel power projects there would be no fuel import for electricity generation.
He said this project would be completed with an investment of $1.5 billion. It may be mentioned here that the Azad Pattan Hydropower Project is a 700 MW hydroelectric power station on the Jhelum River roughly 7 km upstream of Azad Pattan Bridge in the Sudhanoti District of Azad Kashmir.
