March 30, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 26, 1424

ISLAMABAD, March 29: Minister for Water and Power Aftab Sherpao here on Saturday chaired a meeting to review the performance of various projects and activities of National Power Construction Corporation (NPCC).

The managing director of NPCC briefed the minister on the background, projects in progress, financial health and future potential of the corporation.

He stated that NPCC was set-up by the GoP in 1974 as a state enterprise under the Ministry of Water and Power to undertake speedy execution of power projects on turn-key basis i.e. extra high voltage transmission lines, sub-stations, underground HV cable network and industrial electrification.

NPCC is currently engaged in executing power projects in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Overseas Operations of the corporation resulted in earning foreign exchange of $21 million including remittances by its employees up to June, 2002.

The minister appreciated the professional competence of NPCC and advised its managing director to look for new markets in African countries such as Senegal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, etc., and other countries in Asia and the Middle-East like Oman, Syria, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.

He stressed that NPCC should go for an aggressive marketing strategy to procure projects in overseas countries. He assured full support in this regard. He also directed NPCC authorities to study the possibility of export of technical and skilled manpower to Middle East countries.

The minister further advised NPCC to look into the feasibility of opening an office in Kabul jointly with NESPAK to participate in the reconstruction/rehabilitation of transmission lines/ power stations in Afghanistan.