Sit-ins delayed Metro Bus, other vital projects, says Shahbaz

BAHAWALPUR: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday said a huge injustice was done to the country under the garb of sit-ins and negative politics which caused a delay in the completion of a number of vital projects, including the Metro Bus Project.
Speaking at the formal inauguration of 100MW solar power plant here at the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park by Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz said the PTI sit-ins caused a huge loss to the economy, says an official handout.
He said the visit of Chinese president was also postponed due to the sit-ins; however, the delay caused by the sit-ins in the projects of national development and prosperity had been overcome.
“Now is the time to forget the past and move forward with a new commitment and determination,” he said.Shahbaz said the 100MW solar power plant was the firstand the biggest of its kind in the history of Pakistan. He said the plant had started production and the electricity generated by it was being fed to the national grid for the last about two months.
“This is a big achievement. This 100 megawatt project has been completed in a record period and it is the only solar power project in the world which has been started with 100 megawatt whereas the other solar projects set up so far anywhere are of 20 megawatt or 25 megawatt,” he said.
He said the project will result in development of the districts of South Punjab and prosperity of the area, as besides establishment of a number of industrial estates, thousands of job opportunities will also be created.
The chief minister also announced the creation of industrial estates in Bahawalpur and adjoining areas and said single shift industry in industrial estates might also be supplied electricity from the solar power project.
He said establishment of industrial estates and solar power projects will result in promotion of industrialization in South Punjab, creation of job opportunities and solution to the problems of the country.
Moreover, he said, it will accelerate investment and economic activities in the region and South Punjab will emerge as an important economic center.He said establishment of industrial estates in South Punjab will create thousands of job opportunities for the youth and result in progress and prosperity of the area.
Shahbaz said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had provided guidance on every occasion in this regard and it was under his leadership that this project was completed in a record period.
He said Chairman TBEA Zhang Xin and his team had also displayed outstanding performance and proved that anything was possible with hard work and honesty.He said Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong also extended all out cooperation with regard to the project for which he was thankful to him.
He said Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chairman Punjab Power Development Company Arif Saeed had also worked on the project round the clock and extended full cooperation for its completion.
He said the project was a milestone in Pak-China economic cooperation and it was the first solar power station of the country set up in a desert where there was neither water nor roads. However, he said with the grace of Allah Almighty, this project had been completed through hard work and commitment and it was a miracle.
He said completion of this project had proved that any target could be achieved if honesty and commitment was displayed.Giving details of the project, Shahbaz Sharif said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had laid the foundation stone of the project on May 9, 2014 and before award of the contract the Punjab government had provided roads and water but then unfortunately sit-ins started.
Shahbaz Sharif said work on the solar project was again started in October-November 2014 and it was completed in March within a period of six months. He said energy shortage was the biggest problem of the country after terrorism which had pushed the country into darkness and badly affected development.
He said the Chinese companies gave discount of two billion rupees in the project cost which was a glorious example of Pak-China friendship. He said this project was a masterpiece of standard and transparency.
He said a German consultant had checked each and every panel and it was his challenge that this solar project can be compared with any other project of the world. The chief minister further said that under Pak-China Economic Corridor, 900 megawatt more electricity will be achieved from the solar park and out of this 350 megawatts electricity will become available by the end of current year and 550 megawatts next year.
In this way, he said, this 100 megawatts project will be the biggest solar power project in the world. Shahbaz Sharif said when planning was made for this project, investors from private sector in Pakistan were invited.
Though the private sector of Pakistan, he said, was very strong, it was in the habit of profiteering and wanted easy money from the project which could not be allowed. He said such profiteering or profiteers have no room in Pakistan.
The chief minister while addressing the prime minister requested him to encourage more investors who want to serve the country. He said those who were making investments abroad instead of Pakistan should be strictly dealt with.
He said the project will be enlisted in stock market. Shahbaz Sharif further said 30,000 megawatt electricity was being produced in Germany from solar where there was no sunshine and it was the first and unique solar power project which had been set up in Bahawalpur.
He further said that there was a need to remove the confusion with regard to solar and wind power energy projects and also revise the tariff as the rate of solar energy was decreasing all over the world. He said a huge foreign exchange was required for the import of oil, gas or coal and compared to this, solar energy was almost free.
He said the Nepra should be issued instructions as its rate was 16.8 cent and the rate of 13.5 cent has been achieved under this project whereas Nepra rate was still 14.1 cent. Shahbaz Sharif requested prime minister to consider this matter.