March 30, 2008	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 21, 1429

LAHORE, March 29: Tajikistan Ambassador Said Saidbaig has said that his country would be able to export cheap electricity to Pakistan and Iran on completion of two huge hydropower stations within two years.

Speaking at the inaugural session of a seminar on National Trade Corridor (NTC) at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday the ambassador said that the hydropower stations similar to Tarbela Dam were being built in Tajikistan by a consortium of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Qatar. A high power transmission line was also under construction from Tajikistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan for the export of electricity.

He said that the construction of international road from Tajikistan capital Dushanbe to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and China was also underway, which would connect his country to Gwadar Port. The road would not only benefit Tajikistan but would also give boost to Pakistani trade.

National Highway Authority Chairman Maj. Gen. Imtiaz Ahmad said in his presidential remarks that the completion of NTC would not only help bring the world resources to Pakistan but also cut the cost of doing business as infrastructure played an important role in promotion of trade and industry. The Gawadar Port would play a big role in NTC Programme.

LCCI President Mohammad Ali Mian said that the key objective of the NTC programme was to reduce share of domestic transport and cost of non-service factors in the total value of commodities and overall reduction in transport and transit costs for goods..

He said that other transport companies should also be allowed to operate to carry goods in transit to Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics as the NLC has failed to operate in these countries due to economic-political situations in CARs and Pakistan.

He said that the government should provide all necessary support for the modernization of infrastructure facilities under the NTCIP, which would help in saving of $ 2 to $ 2.5 billion per annum.