60pc work on Sahiwal coal power project completed: Shahbaz

Says those creating hurdles in progress should be stopped;
national resources looted ruthlessly in the past; it is national crime to
create hurdles through protests, sit-ins in energy projects

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif Thursday visited 1320-megawatt coal power plant in Sahiwal and reviewed the progress on the project.

Chinese engineers and experts gave a briefing to the chief minister about the progress of the project. Vice Administrator of National Energy Administration of China Li Fanrog, Chinese Counsel General Yu Borne, members of Chinese delegation and senior officers of Chinese companies working on Sahiwal Coal Power Plant were present.

Speaking at briefing session and talking to the media, the chief minister said 60 percent work on Sahiwal Coal Power Project has been completed within a year and it will start generating electricity in the middle of next year. He said work was started on Sahiwal Coal Power Plant in July last year and 60 percent work has so far been completed and this is the unique and biggest project of its kind in Pakistan. He said that such projects are completed within four to five years in the world including China whereas such power plant was also not completed before three years in China. Sahiwal Coal Power Project will be completed within 23 months, which will set new record in the entire world and this project has also broken Chinese record, he added.

Shahbaz Sharif said that this project is of poor people of Pakistan and it is the project of every worker, labourer, officer, judge, general, police, teachers, doctors and of all. He said undoubtedly this is the result of joint cooperation of Chinese companies and Punjab government that this project is being completed speedily. He said work is being carried out round the clock on the project and hoped that it will start generation of electricity in the middle of next year. He said propaganda is being made regarding Punjab in connection with CPEC projects.

The CM said investment of 36 billion dollars is being made for the projects of electricity in Pakistan under CPEC. Out of this, 11 billion dollars are being spent on energy projects in Sindh while 6.5 billion dollars on energy projects in Punjab, he added. Similarly, he said that work is continuing on projects of billions of dollars in KPK and Baluchistan as well. He said it is a matter of pleasure and an honour for us to set up power plants anywhere in the country. Shahbaz Sharif said when Sahiwal Coal Power Project was started, a negative picture was presented regarding it and it was said that this project will not start before ten years.

He said Sahiwal Coal Power Plant is bigger than Neelam Jhelum Hydro Project. Corruption was committed by rulers of the past in Neelam Jhelum Hydro Project and resources of the country were ruined. He said 900-megawatt electricity will be generated through Neelam Jhelum Hydro Project while Sahiwal Coal Power Project will produce 1320-megawatt electricity. He said national resources were looted ruthlessly in the past and Neelam Jhelum Project is worst example of corruption. He said the machinery of Nandipur Power Project rusted at Karachi Port for three years during the tenure of former federal government which caused loss of billions of rupees.

The CM said if development process was stopped through sit-ins and protests then God forbid, this will be a tragedy for Pakistan like 1971, therefore, the hand of those creating hurdles in the journey of progress of the people should be stopped. He said that it will be a national crime to create hurdles through protests and sit-ins in energy projects being set up speedily. He appealed to the leaders of political parties to mend their ways. He said such opportunities become available to the nations once in centuries. He said that if Allah Almighty has provided a golden opportunity for the development of Pakistan then no effort should be made to stop this process. He said that let government and people do their work and hurdles should not be created in the progress of the country. He appealed them to make efforts according to the constitution if they have problems or demands.

Shahbaz Sharif said: “We live in a civilised society and therefore they should go to parliament, supreme court, or election commission as such ways are adopted in civilised societies for resolving problems.”

He said problems are not resolved through protest and negative politics. He said work is being carried out speedily on energy projects under CPEC and completion of these projects will result in removing darkness from the country. Abundant power supply will be available for industry, agriculture, education and other sectors in the country, he added.