LNG accord to help resolve energy crisis, says Shahbaz

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that the Pakistan Muslim League-N government is striving for solution of the problems being faced by the country and putting it on the road to progress and prosperity and all-out resources are being utilised for resolving energy crisis.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif unprecedented work was being carried out for overcoming energy crisis. He said the PML-N government had introduced the culture of round-the-clock work for speedy implementation of projects and powerhouses were being set up expeditiously for resolving energy crisis. He said that thousands of megawatt electricity would be added to national grid with the completion of energy projects till 2017 and which would substantially reduce loadshedding. 

Talking to delegations of the PML-N office-bearers, here, Sunday, the chief minister said that due to wrong polices and priorities of former rulers, the country was plunged into darkness. He said that the Punjab government had signed an agreement with a Danish company, Vestas for the generation of 1,000 megawatts electricity through wind. He said that the historic agreement signed with Qatar for the purchase of LNG would result in availability of low-cost gas to the citizens besides helping in eliminating power outages from the country. He said that the agreement for the purchase of liquid gas was another gift for the nation after economic corridor project.

He said that the PML-N government was working on coal, wind, solar, gas, hydel and other low-cost sources of power generation. He said that gas-based powerhouses of 3,600 megawatts were being set up in the province. He said that power plants based on gas being established by the present government were at half the cost compared to the past and would result in availability of cheaper electricity to the masses. He said that Sahiwal coal power plant would be completed before its stipulated period and the Chinese company working on this project had given assurance in this regard. He said that 1,320 megawatt electricity would be produced by this project.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif also presided over a meeting which considered various proposals for provision of better services to the citizens.Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that the departments concerned will have to play an active role for providing better services to the people of the province. He said that problems of people should immediately be resolved in government departments as availability of necessary facilities to the citizens on priority basis was of vital importance.

He said that it was essential to adopt an effective approach for providing better services to the masses. He said that there was a need for effective steps for provision of better facilities in education, health and other social sectors. The chief minister was also given a briefing on various proposals for quick disposal of official matters.