By Anzal Amin
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed to constitute a high-powered committee to formulate long, medium and short-term strategies on the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Measures Implementation Roadmap proposed by the Power Division.
The committee, to be headed by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, will consist of members including Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mehmood, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Law Azam Nazir Tarar, Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman and Minister for Board of Investment Ch. Salik Hussain.
The prime minister, while chairing the meeting of the federal cabinet, directed the Power Division to give a detailed briefing next week regarding the power theft and line losses as well as the strategy to check it.
He also called for launching an appropriate public awareness campaign about energy conservation, a press release issued by the PM Media Wing here said. The Prime Minister while referring to his October 10 visit to Thar said that cheaper electricity can be produced through Thar Coal Project.
He said that unnecessary delay on the project in past was not less than a national tragedy, but now these projects were among the government’s priorities.
The Prime Minister further said that the project will help reduce the country’s US$ 24 billion energy import bill.
He also appreciated all the stakeholders involved in the project and said in that regard an important review meeting will be held next week.
The federal cabinet, on the recommendation of Interior Ministry included Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Rwanda, Belarus and Slovakia in business visa list for the promotion of bilateral trade relations with these countries.
On the recommendation of Interior Ministry, the federal cabinet approved the family visa extension period from one to two years.
It also approved the issuance of 30 days non-extendable family visit category single entry visa on Travel / Asylum/ Temporary documents verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The federal cabinet approved the addition of following in Pakistan Online Visa System (POVS): –
1. Fields showing address and place of stay of applicants, intended entry port/border/airport, place of work, contact details including sponsor details may be made mandatory. Same fields shall also be made mandatory for private individuals other than CPEC projects.
2. In case of business visa, contact details of the sponsor may be made mandatory.
The federal cabinet, on the recommendation of the Ministry of Housing and Works, approved the allotment of 23 canal at Nabha Road Lahore to Supreme Court of Pakistan for Lahore Registry of the apex court.
The cabinet also endorsed decisions taken by Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) during its meetings on 30-09-2022 and 10-10-2022.
The cabinet expressing its serious concern over the incident of firing on a school bus in Swat strongly condemned it, prayed for those martyred in the incident as well as for early recovery of the injured children.
Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir Khan on Tuesday said that total electricity generation from local Thar coal would jump to 1,320 MW with addition of 330 MW by ThalNova Power Thar Ltd’s Plant in December.
Addressing a press conferencing here, the minister said that the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the other day, formally inaugurated 330 MW HUBCO Thar Coal Power Plant which increased the electricity generation to 990 MW from local Thar coal.
He said the people had started getting dividends of projects launched by Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in 2014.
As many as 660 MW electricity had already been supplied to the National grid since 2019 through local Thar coal, he added.
The minister said that another 1,320 MW Shanghi Electric Thar Coal Power Project under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would start generation before the next summer which would help double electricity generation to 2640 MW.
He said Thar coal reserves was a blessing for the entire country, adding that as per initial estimate, the reserves stood 175 billion metric tons. The Thar coal reserves spread an area of over 100 square kilometers and had been divided into 13 blocks, he said.
The minister said currently out of total 13 blocks, only two blocks were opened. Presently, three power plants with accumulative capacity of 990 MW had been operationalized on local Thar coal, he added.
He said the coal price at international market had surged to $ 400 per ton, while Thar coal would be available at only $ 40 per ton. Thar coal based power plants would also help reduce cost of electricity, he added.
He said Thar coal power plants projects was a best example of public private partnership in the country. Special attention was also being paid that the coal-based power projects have not any effects on environment, he added.
He said as per technical study, 20 per cent Thar Coal could also be used in already set up coal power plants including Sahiwal and Port Qasim. The coal could also be used for getting diesel besides in cement and fertilizers industries, he added.
He said the Thar Coal would fulfill the energy requirements of the country.
Khurram said the PM had already approved a project to link IslamKot (Tehsil in Thar district) to Hyderabad through railway track in next 6 months. It would play a key role in effective transportation of coal in the country through railways, he added.
Replying to a question, he said transmission line had already been laid to evacuate 2,640 MW electricity from Thar coal based power projects. However, working was being carried out to lay new transmission line for evacuation of power from future projects, he added.
To another question, the minister said that cost of electricity had decreased after shutting down of all expensive power plants with decline of electricity demand and change in weather. Relief was being passed on the consumers and only 22 paisa per unit fuel cost adjustment was charged in the current month billing as compared to Rs 9.89 per unit in June.
He said the average cost of electricity would also decrease with increase of share of electricity from Thar coal blocks.
