October 30, 2007	Tuesday	Shawwal 17, 1428

KARACHI, Oct 29: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim is inaugurating on Tuesday a two-day international symposium on “Sindh coal (lignite) mining: challenges and success’’.

Organised jointly by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Sindh Mines and Mineral Development Department, the symposium is spread over five working sessions, in addition to inauguration and the final session in which recommendations will be finalised.

With proven reserves of 175 billion tons said to be worth five trillion dollars, the coals in Thar have the potential to generate 100,000 MW of electricity every year for the next 300 years. But for reasons known to gods of wisdom in Islamabad, Thar coal reserves did not get the attention it deserved and various electric power generation projects offered by investors in the last about 15 years or so were discarded or had to be to be withdrawn by sponsors.

The two-day international symposium aims at projecting various issues—the need for an upfront tariff, quick infra structure development, mining and purification—by about two dozen top energy experts and senior government officials.

The President of the FPCCI, Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh, will present a welcome address while Syed Mohibullah Shah, a retired government officer, will give a key note address to highlight economic significance of Thar coal reserves for Sindh and entire Pakistan. The acting Chairman of National Energy and Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) Abdul Rahim will speak on tariff concerns.

The first working session on Tuesday noon will be chaired by Wapda chairman Shakil Durrani while sharing it with the managing director of Private Power and Infra Structure Board (PPIB) Yousif Memon.

Four presentations will be made in this session, including one from a German expert.

The chairmanship of the second session will be shared by acting chairman of Nepra Abdul Rahim and Fazlullah Qureshi, a former chairman of Nepra.

Seven presentations, including one from the federal commerce minister, Abdul Razzak Dawood, will be made in this session.

On Wednesday, the first session will be presided over by Sindh minister for mines and mineral development, Irfanullah Marwat, while Sindh’s additional chief secretary Ghular Sarwar will be co-chairman. Four presentations will be made in this session, including one by a Chinese expert who will share his experiences of coal mining at Sonda.

The fourth session will be chaired by Sindh Chief Secretary, Aijaz Ahmad Qureshi. Four presentations will be made in this session, including one from an Australian expert.

The federal secretary for petroleum and natural resources Farrulkk Qayum will preside over the fifth technical session. Three presentations will be made, including one from a German expert.

Prime Minister’s advisor on energy Mukhtar Ahmad will preside over final session that will give final shape to the recommendations package based on two days deliberations in four working sessions.