ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has great potential to grow and its energy market will witness major expansion in the coming years.
China would continue to complement Pakistan’s efforts in reforming and expanding its energy sector”, this was underscored by LianWeiliang, Vice Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in a meeting with Federal Minister for Energy, Omar Ayub Khan, Friday.
During the meeting Lian, a Minister-level official of The People’s Republic of China, recognizing the imperatives of further reinforcing ties between two iron brothers, maintained that both countries could regularly review the progress of various energy projects and jointly formulate strategies and plans to oversee their speedy and timely execution.
He particularly stressed that Chinese leadership at the highest level remained committed to further invest in Pakistan’s energy sector for its consolidation and self-sufficiency.
Minister Ayub thanked Lian for inviting Pakistan’s delegation to attend the Belt and Road Energy Ministerial Conference, held in Suzhou, and hoped that the Conference under China’s visionary leadership would play a critical role in rebuilding and diversifying regional energy landscape.
The Federal Minister for Energy also took the opportunity to brief his interlocutor about the energy priorities of the PTI government. He underlined that, just ,the up-gradation of Pakistan’s distribution system required an investment worth over $50 billion, while the up gradation of transmission system would require an even larger size of investment.
He added that Pakistan’s GDP is more than three hundred billion dollars and demand for more electricity consumption was rapidly growing opening up more opportunities for foreign direct investment in the country.
Minister Ayub also extended Lian Weiliang the invitation to visit Pakistan.
Lian thanked the Minister for extending the invitation and hoped that under his leadership Pakistan-China energy ties would further deepen and solidify.