LAHORE Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting which reviewed the pace of progress on ongoing projects of energy and infrastructure in the province. Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said that effort were being made for coping with energy crisis and work was being carried out expeditiously on power projects. He said that 1,320 megawatt Sahiwal Coal Power Project would start production in 2017 and work was in progress on the project round-the-clock. He said that the foundation stone of three gas-based energy projects had been laid in Punjab and it would produce 3,600 megawatts electricity. He said that a high standard of transparency had been set in gas power projects under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Rs110 billion of the nation had been saved. He said that there was no other example of saving of such a huge amount in the history of Pakistan. He said that projects were being implemented expeditiously while transparency and high standard was also being maintained and no compromise would be made in this regard. He said that funds of billions of rupees were being provided for infrastructure development in the province. He said that completion of projects in infrastructure sector would result in availability of modern facilities to the citizens while trade and business activities would also accelerate. He said that with the completion of several energy projects in 2017, thousands of megawatt electricity would be added to national grid which would help in resolving energy crisis. Shahbaz Sharif directed the authorities concerned to continue work expeditiously on projects while a high standard should also be ensured. Provincial Minister for Finance Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Chief Secretary Khizer Hayat Gondal, former minister Shaukat Tareen, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Musaddaq Malik, Punjab Power Development Company Chairman Arif Saeed, Chairman Planning & Development, secretaries concerned and senior authorities attended the meeting. Lord Nazir: Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Britain and his visit to Britain will further promote the ties between the two countries. He said that Pakistan wanted trade and not aid from Britain and desired to transform the existing relations into economic contacts. He said that Britain was extending commendable assistance to Punjab in education and other sectors.He expressed these views while talking to Member of British Parliament Lord Nazir Ahmad who called on him, here Friday. Matters of mutual interest, promotion of Pak-UK relations and the visit of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to Britain were discussed in the meeting. The chief minister said that in the form of Overseas Pakistanis Commission, a platform had become available to overseas Pakistanis in Punjab for the solution of their problems. He said that Oversees Pakistanis Commission was making the all-out effort for resolving the problems of Pakistanis living abroad. train affectee: Shahbaz Sharif has announced financial assistance of Rs500,000 for the heirs of the deceased citizen who was hit by the machinery of Orange Line Metro Train project. The contractor working on the section will also pay Rs2 million to the family of the deceased.
