KP businessmen want work on CASA-1000 power project expedited

PESHAWAR: Highlighting the significance of Central Asia, South-Asia (CASA-1000) power project, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa businessmen on Wednesday stressed the need to expedite work on the project as it would help fulfill the growing energy requirements as well as ensure availability of electricity to industries at subsidised rates.

The members of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) were speaking at a meeting with ambassador of Tajikistan, Ismatullo Nasredin, here. Led by its president Sherbaz Bilour, the SCCI delegation was comprised of Senior Vice-President Manzoor Elahi and former president Faiz Muhammad Faizi.A communique said the two sides discussed hurdles to trade between Pakistan and Tajikistan and agreed to make joint efforts to remove impediments to strengthen mutual economic and trade ties.

Sherbaz Bilour underscored the importance of CASA-1000 project, which would not only help to address the increasing energy needs, but also ensure availability of electricity at the lowest rates. The SCCI chief added that the CASA-1000 between Central Asian countries and Pakistan was a unique example to improve relations in the energy sector. He noted that there was huge potential to bolster the bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Tajikistan. However, he stressed the need for concerted efforts to remove hurdles to trade between the two countries. He suggested the formulation of a joint mechanism.

Earlier, Engr Manzoor Elahi and Faiz Muhammad Faizi identified the hurdles, which are impeding the bilateral trade between Pakistan and Tajikistan as well as rest of Central Asian countries and gave concrete proposals to address them amicably.

The Tajikistan diplomat agreed with proposals of the SCCI delegation and stressed the need for joint efforts to strengthen bilateral trade and economic relations.

Ismatullo Nasredin said that his country and Kyrgyzstan had already completed work on CASA-1000 project. However, he empathised that the government of Pakistan should also expedite work on this project to make the joint initiative a success.