ISLAMABAD - Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal Saturday said that the Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal would be completed in February, 2015 which would help a lot to overcome energy crisis in the country.
Addressing a meeting of Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) energy think tank here, Ahsan Iqbal said that engineers are playing important role in overcoming energy crisis in the country. He was of the view that as compared to other sources of energy, natural gas was being provided on very low rates therefore burden on this source has been risen up which led to its shortage in the country.
He said the federal government was taking strong measures to stop gas theft whereas the Khyber Pakhtukhwa government failed to foil the theft.
“In Karak, KPK rate of gas theft was the highest in the country and the KP government is not taking any measure to prevent the theft”, he added.
Professor Ahsan Iqbal said that the government was endeavoring to reduce energy crisis on priority as funding for Dasu Power Project had been received and work on the project was formally initiated.
He said although World Bank had not yet expressed its willingness to invest in Diamir Bhasha Dam but the roadshow for the project held in Washington remained successful and businessmen from the United States were showing interest in this project. The minister said that the newly established Infrastructure Bank in China would also help bring in more investment in infrastructure projects of Pakistan which would help speeding up development process in the country. The minister further said that in a bid to overcome energy crisis, an integrated planning under Vision 2025 had been made according to which projects of electricity, gas, hydel and other energy sectors would be completed.
He said under China-Pakistan trade corridor project, agreements are to be signed on different projects of 10,400MW electricity. “The agreements were to be signed on the occasion of Chinese President’s visit to Pakistan in September but the visit was canceled due to political crisis and sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek”, he said adding that now the agreement would be signed on the occasion of Pakistan Prime Minister’s visit to China.
Later talking to media persons, the minister said that the political crisis in the country was a great hindrance to foreign investment in the country.
He urged the country’s political leadership to avoid negative thinking and work together for the country’s development.
He said that Imran Khan’s call of long march on November 30 was a conspiracy to de-stabilize the country. He said that people have rejected the negative politics of Imran Khan. He asked Imran Khan that if they have will to work for the country then they should deliver in KPK province by implementing his party agenda in the province.