ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday directed that
procedural formalities concerning Guddu & Uch transmission line
projects should be completed in time so that the signing agreement
could take place in September this year.
This he said when a leading Chinese company dealing in power transmission projects called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The
delegation was headed by Ye Jun, the head of the company called TBEA.
He was accompanied by Country representative of TBEA in Pakistan
Mr.Zhou Liliang and Mr. Chen Qinliang.
Pak side included Syed
Naveed Qamar, Federal Minister for Water & Power,Secretary General
Mr. M. Salman Faruqui, Secretaries Finance and Economic Affairs
divisions, Chairman WAPDA Mr. Shakeel Durrani, and other senior
officials.
The President said that Pakistan was facing
difficulties in meeting its energy requirements. To improve energy
resources, the President said, we are focused on building mega
hydropower projects in Diamer Bhasha and Bunji. The President said that
developing Thar coal fields and electricity generation through
gasification of coal was also on cards to meet energy requirements.
The
President, during the meeting, appreciated TBEA’s interest in Pakistan
and its $3.5 billion agreement with Pakistan’s NTDC (National
Transmission & Despatch Company) and China Development Bank to
supply transmission equipment to Pakistan. He also welcomed company’s
interest in acquiring Heavy Electrical Complex saying that the greater
business ventures of the company in the country would contribute
towards further strengthening Pak-China relationship.
He said
the Pakistan welcomes Chinese companies and businessmen to take
advantage of the investment and business friendly policies offered by
the country. The President said that the energy sector was one of the
most important sectors where Pakistan needs assistance and cooperation
of Chinese friends.
The President said that we need to revamp
existing transmission lines and build new ones for efficient
transmission on one hand and to reduce line losses on the other. The
contributions of TBEA, the President noted, would contribute
significantly towards this end.
The President reiterated
Government’s full support and facilitation to the incoming investors
and businessmen-especially the Chinese and said that the Government
would take care of their security requirements, if any.
Ye Jun
thanked the President for meeting and assured that TBEA would continue
to make its contributions in assisting Pakistan in the energy sector.
It
may be recalled that the President has been focusing on the
strengthening of the energy sector with the Chinese assistance and had
also met the Chairman of the Board of TBEA during his previous visit to
China. ONline
