Federal Minister for Power Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan has said that all development projects, put in cold store during the last 4 years, are being revived.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of 220-KV Lalian grid station, completed with Rs 4 billion, he said on Monday when Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) came to power in 2013, the country was facing the worst-ever load-shedding of 18 to 20 hours per day. Similarly, the country was also experiencing terrorism and killings were continuing in Karachi and other parts of the country.
This situated had discouraged foreign investors, he said, adding that Nawaz Sharif, however, made concerted efforts and he not only overcame shortage of electricity but also restored peace in the country. He also initiated a new chapter in the progress of Pakistan by introducing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He lamented that an anti-development group succeeded in grabbing power and the development process was stopped, which remained suspended for the last four years.
“We will once again restore the same momentum of progress and prosperity which the country experienced during 2013-2018,” he said, adding that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would also proceed to China on Nov 1 and the government would restart work on different projects under CPEC with a renewed commitment and zeal. He said that Nawaz Sharif had a vision for progress of Pakistan.
He also had mental and physical capacity to undertake these projects. He said that the PML-N government was committed to starting work on all delayed projects. In that connection, work on 775-megawatt Karot hydro electric power project had already been started while work on 1,320MW Shanghai Thar coal project would be initiated very soon. He said that the coalition government’s mission was to put Pakistan on road to progress and prosperity.
The minister said that National Transmission & Dispatch Company (NTDC) had finalised different projects in all provinces with an estimated cost of Rs1,000 billion. “We will inaugurate some of these projects while work on the remaining projects would also be started during this year,” he promised.
Later, he also went to Jhang Road near Churagh Abad Interchange where he inaugurated another project of 500-KV Painsara grid station, which was completed with an estimated cost of Rs 16.9 billion.
He said that these projects would help overcome problems of low voltage in the area. These projects would also enable Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) to provide new electricity connections without any delay.
Managing Director NTDC Engineer Dr. Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan said the grid station projects would not only strengthen the transmission network of NTDC in the region but also help tackle increasing demand of electricity of domestic, industrial, commercial and agri consumers of Faisalabad, Jhang, Chiniot, Toba Tek Singh, Samundari, Gojra, Jaranwala, Chenab Nagar, Chiniot Industrial, Sargodha, Ludewala, Narwala Road, Thikriwala, Lalian and their peripheral localities.
A large number of area notables and FESCO officers including its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Engineer Bashir Ahmad were also present.
