PM directs uninterrupted gas supply to consumers during cooking hours

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed the departments concerned to prepare an urgent plan to ensure supply of gas keeping in view its expected demand in winter season.

Chairing a meeting here, the prime minister directed to provide uninterrupted gas supply to the domestic consumers during cooking hours, saying the present government believes in practical and serious steps instead of making hollow claims and give mere statistics. The meeting was apprised of the plan prepared for the supply of gas in the coming months. The prime minister directed the officials concerned to further improve the plan and gave the directions to give priority to short and middle term plans.

Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik, Adviser Ahad Cheema and other senior officials attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accorded in principle approval for setting up 2000 megawatts of solar power projects in the public sector. The prime minister approved the project while chairing a high-level review meeting regarding the 10,000MW solar power projects in the country. The meeting was informed that under the plan, agricultural tube wells in all four provinces will be shifted to solar on priority basis. The premier said that by using solar energy, it would be possible to resolve the problems of distribution and line losses, electricity theft and increase in and arrest circular debt.

He said the government would give sovereign guarantee to the companies investing in solar energy sector. The meeting was apprised that a place near Muzaffargarh has also been identified where a 600MW solar power plant will be constructed. Some plans are being made regarding 11KV feeders powered by solar energy.

The prime minister directed to further improve the timelines in this regard so that the electricity generated from solar energy can be included in the national grid at the earliest. The prime minister also directed to constitute a committee regarding the solarisation of tube wells across the country. Meanwhile, renowned Egyptian Qari Mehmood Anwar Al-Shahat called on Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif here on Thursday. During the meeting, Qari Mehmood Anwar Al-Shahat expressed his sympathies and condolences over the flood losses in Pakistan.

In another developent, a delegation of ‘China Three Gorges Corporation’ met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday and presented a cheque of $0.65 million to him to support the relief and rehabilitation of the flood-stricken people.

The delegation was led by Chinese Ambassador in Islamabad Nong Rong. Chairman of China Three Gorges Corporation Wu Shengliang, who presented the cheque for flood relief, also told the prime minister that under the company’s supervision, the Karot Hydropower Project had been running at full capacity for the last three months.

Constructed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor framework, the Karot Hydropower Project is an important power project with the capacity to generate 720MW of environment-friendly and low-cost electricity.

The prime minister thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping as well as the Chinese companies for their financial support for the rehabilitation of flood-hit people. He also appreciated the Chinese company for completing and operationalizing the Karot Hydropower Project as a priority to generate environment-friendly and low-cost electricity in the country.