AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Islamabad, July 08, 2012 (PPI-OT): Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that private sector was the engine of growth adding that he would like see it to play a leading role in the economy. Government only gives policy to create an enabling environment for the economy within the imperatives of social justice.
This the Prime Minister said while talking to the office bearers of the Islamabad Chambers of Commerce and Industry who called on him in the PM’s House today.
The delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce was headed by its Acting President, Mr. Asad Fareed and included , Mr. Shinwari, Vice President, Mr. Tariq Sadiq, , Mr. Munawar Mughal, Former President, Mr. Abdul Rauf, Mr. Muhammad Nasir Khan, , Malik Zubair Ahmed, Mr. Ejaz Abbasi, Former President, Mr. Zahid Maqbool, , Ch Muzamil Sabir, , Mr. Shayan Khalid, Former Senior Vice President, Mr. Khalid Malik, Executive Members, Mr. Zafar Bakhtawari, , Ch Khalid Memood Member, Mr. Ameen-ur-Rehman and Mr. Khalid Javed.
Mr. Aziz Ahmad Bilour, Secretary Industries, Mr. Muhammad Ejaz Chaudhary, Secretary Petroleum, Dr. Samar Mubarakmand, Member Science and Technology Planning Commission and Mr. Arif Alauddin, CEO Alternate Energy Board also attended the meeting.
A delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce congratulate the Prime Minister on his election as the Prime Minister of the country and hoped that challenges would be converted into opportunities under his leadership.
The PM said he was committed to ease up the load shedding in the country as soon as possible and as a matter of fact some improvement has already been felt by the people in the country. The members of the Islamabad Chambers also agreed with the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister said that the situation would further improve as the hydro power generation was going to be increased due to the considerable improvement in the rivers flow attributed to the monsoon and melting of the glaciers.
The Prime Minister said that he was very clear that the development of indigenous sources of energy was absolutely critical for the development of the economy on sustainable basis as the oil based energy costs billion of dollars required for the import of fuel oil.
The Prime Minister said that it was his passion to see the development of Thar Coal Project which definitely offered the cheap indigenous solution of the energy crisis on permanent basis. The solution will get the country out of the vicious circle of circular debt and also provide enormous fiscal space by saving billion of dollars spent on import of oil and same could be spent to undertake people’s welfare-oriented development projects, the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said that Thar Coal held key to the prosperous future of Pakistan and he was determined to see its development to the possible extent. I will soon visit the site of the Project being undertaken under the able leadership of Dr. Summer Mubarik Mand pertaining to underground gasification meant for power generation.
The Prime Minister also underscored the importance of exploiting the alternate sources of energy for which there was huge potential in the country. The Prime minister was apprised by the CEO of Alternate Energy Board, Mr. Arif Alauddin that the three projects of windmill would start functioning on experimental basis by the end of this month and by the end of next years to produce 400 mw of electricity through this source.
The Prime minister said that he would go to the Jhimpir Project by end of this month and see the experimental operation of the power generation turbine through windmill established under the auspices of the Fuji Fertilizer.
The Prime Minister also appreciated the industrialists for the adoption of Surface Gasifire Plants to meet their energy requirements for their plants in order to meet their production targets. They are in a way helping the government in a big way because the electricity thus saved would lead to narrow the demand and supply gap proportionately in the national grid.
The Prime Minister said that he was happy to know that the private sector was also coming fast to produce about 2000 mw of electricity through bigass which was again an indigenous source and therefore was worthwhile.
The Prime Minister said that the provincial governments had also embarked upon such projects as there no bar on them to produce electricity. After the 7th NFC awards the financial health of the provinces had improved significantly and the federating units should also share this responsibility with the spirit of collective national obligation, the Prime Minister said.
For more information, contact:
Haji Ahmed Malik
Principal Information Officer
Press Information Department (PID)
Tel: +9251 925 2323 and +9251 925 2324
Fax: +9251 925 2325 and +9251 925 2326
Email: piopid@gmail.com