Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari to jointly lay foundation stone of mining plants of Thar Block II: Qaim Ali Shah

Karachi, January 25, 2014 (PPI-OT): The Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah terming the Thar Coal reservoirs as “Life Line” for energy security of Pakistan has said that Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Ex-President of Pakistan Mr. Asif Ali Zardari will jointly lay the foundation stone/ ground breaking ceremony of the mining and coal based energy plants of Thar block II on 31st, January through which 660 Mw of electricity would be generated in first phase.

This he said while addressing as Chief Guest at a conference titled “ Self Sufficiency in energy depends on expediting the development of Thar Coal and power plants” organized by Dawood University of Engineering and Technology and department of Energy Government of Sindh at a local hotel on Saturday.

Terming the ground breaking ceremony historic event to meet the gigantic challenge of energy crises Sindh CM said that it was possible only because of the tireless efforts and firm resolve of Sindh Government that we are able to perform the ground breaking of mining and coal based power plants.

He said that realizing the importance and potential of the Thar Coal Sindh Government has spent a huge amount of over Rs. 20 billion for the development of infrastructure, provision of water through LBOD after refining it through RO plants and construction of road via Badin and Thatta and other basic necessities.

He added that work on Airstrip in Islamkot and provision of machinery and fill fully other requirements was in full swing. Sindh CM said that Tharparkar is most remote and difficult area to reach where there was dearth of basic amenities, resultantly no investor was interested in the development of Thar Coal but after the continuous labour, hard work efforts and struggle of Sindh Government during last six consecutive years, not only national but foreign investment companies are working there and days are not for away when Thar Coal will not only fulfil the energy requirements of the country but also energy could be exported.

Highlighting the historical and geographical significance of Tharparkar Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that it was Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who got back this land consisting 05 thousand square Kilo meters of Tharparkar where this black gold is available when it was in custody of India in 1973, along with 90 thousand forces and civilians, at that time our opponents were insisting on then PM Shaheed Bhutto only for getting back forces and civilians terming the Tharparkar as barren land of no use. “ But visionary leader knew the importance of this barren land and today solution of energy crises faced by the country lies in this barren land.

He added that then PM of Pakistan Shaheed Zulifqar Ali Bhutto went to Indra Ghandi and successfully negotiated return of land along with forces. CM Sindh said thatit is the very land which is now delivering energy for Pakistan. ” God willing, if there is support, thousand MW of electricity would be generated from Thar Coal” he added.

He said that before the PPP Government in 2008, it was disputed that whether coal belongs to Federal Government or Provincial Government, it was for the first time that when Mr. Asif Ali Zardari was President of Pakistan and Syed Yousif Raza Gilani Prime Minister of Pakistan it was conceded in the Federal Cabinet that coal is provincial subject and Thar Coal belongs to people of Sindh.

For more information, contact:
Mr. Allah Bachayo Memon
Press Secretary
Chief Minister House Sindh
Tel: +9221 99202019
Cell: +92300-3524057 (Ext: 336)