Govt to complete 14 energy projects by 2018, CPEC committee told

E-Paper | July 12, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was briefed about 14 early harvest energy projects which would be completed in March 2018 and would be in a position to generate 10,400 megawatts of electricity.

The committee met on Wednesday in the Parliament House with its chairman, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, in chair. It was briefed on energy related projects related to CPEC by the Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif and the ministry’s secretary, Younas Dhaga.

It was informed that “two transmission lines would be built from Matiari to Lahore with a length of 880 km, which will transmit 4,000 MW of electricity”.

The committee was apprised that for the first time the government has initiated a project to upgrade and modernise transmission lines.

Know more: CPEC projects: status, cost and benefits

The parliamentary committee appreciated efforts being made for achievement of CPEC through implementation of decisions unanimously arrived at the All Parties Conference convened on May 28 at the PM House.

It expressed concerns on allowing import of coal for coal-run power projects and hoped that coal will also be mined indigenously, especially from Thar and other coal mining areas, so that dependence on imported coal is shed.

The committee also directed the Ministry of Water and Power to do a mapping survey of the wind corridor in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa so that a conducive environment is created for investors keen on investing in renewable energy in both these provinces.

It expressed satisfaction at the fact that its proposal for a dual carriage of the Western route, which they decided on October 26, had been accepted at the last week's Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting held between China and Pakistan in Karachi.

Senator Mushahid Hussain told the media the Parliamentary Committee would visit Gwadar on November 28-29 for a comprehensive briefing on the Gwadar port and its related projects pertaining to the CPEC.

The members of CPEC committee would be traveling from the starting point of the western route from Gwadar to Ratto Dero, a strip of 670 km to inspect the route.

The chairman of the parliamentary committee also directed the power ministry to resolve the issues of land acquisition pertaining to the Sukki Kenari power project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The members who attended the meeting include Akram Khan Durrani, Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, Talha Mehmood, Hasil Bizenjo, Fateh Mohammad Hasni, Shibli Faraz, Asad Umar, Qadir Baloch, Baz Mohammad Khan, Rana Afzal, and other officials.

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Pakistan

Opposition leader criticises 'Punjab-centric' CPEC projects

CPEC an unlikely boon for Thar coal project?

CPEC projects: status, cost and benefits

AsR

Nov 18, 2015 08:03pm

This news items bursts the myth of Punjab centric CPEC. Thanks Dawn.

Recommend 0

Khan- Pakistani

Nov 18, 2015 08:17pm

Probably all in one province !

Recommend 0

Khalid

Nov 18, 2015 08:29pm

The country has not done anything about the ever present energy crises for the last 70 years except promises and more promises by successive governments. I don't really care what province makes progress as long as we make progress. The problem is that nothing is being done. Absolutely nothing.

Recommend 0

Rahim

Nov 18, 2015 08:38pm

@Khalid please talk about your own country. When I was a child pakistan did not have any load shedding which is called "power cut" in yours. It started after Musharaf did absolutely nothing to upgrade to install more capacity to generate electricity or "power" as its called in our eastern neighbor. Ok!

Recommend 0

flipflop

Nov 18, 2015 08:52pm

Its nice to see that we are moving away from fossil fuels, and I pray that these initiatives pay back to the public. I hope that this is not done to bring benefits to politicians. Alot is at stake here, the land lease for 40 years, billions spent by the government on metros and other mega projects. If government fails to eliminate corruption, this will take down the economy and the country.

Recommend 0

Sab Se Pehle Pakistan

Nov 18, 2015 09:11pm

Yeah right! A) This is nothing but another lie from this corrupt to the core PML-N government. B) There is Pakistan beyond the boundaries of Panjab as well C) God willing all the mega corruption done by this government will be exposed and this corrupt and incompetent PML-N government will not be here to hurt Pakistan and its citizens till 2018. We still have hope in the face of an honest and brave leader COAS General Raheel Shareef.

Recommend 0

Concerned

Nov 18, 2015 09:14pm

@Rahim Are you A teenager? I remember load shedding in 1980s. To top that, At that time many rural areas did not have electricity like nowadays.

Recommend 0

Zubair

Nov 18, 2015 09:30pm

Yet more to be done as Pakistan needs around 2000MW more annually to sustain its steady growth level.

Recommend 0

Disgusted

Nov 18, 2015 09:31pm

Nobody is worried about the completion dates. The worry is if they will ever be completed and will they ever produce desired power?

Recommend 0

AsR

Nov 18, 2015 09:33pm

@Khan- Pakistani Thar Coal, Port Qasim power plants, Gawadar port and Sukki Kenari power project are in Sind, Balochistan and KPK. Furthermore Gwadar to Ratto Dero highway in Balochistan is almost complete.

Recommend 0

Fast

Nov 18, 2015 09:38pm

@AsR Some parties don't want progress in Pakistan. These parties are just jealous of PML-N real change in PAKISTAN so they are just doing Leg-pulling but don't worry Pakistan will achieve significant progress in incumbent government tenure by ending energy crises and will led concrete base for economic progress which include CPEC.

Recommend 0

Disgusted

Nov 18, 2015 09:41pm

@Khalid you need to read history. President Ayub Khan constructed Hydal projects like Warsak, Mangla and Tarbela. Many small projects like Rasul Headworks ,Nandipur Headworks in Punjab and Guddu Barrage in Sindh. Similar barrages and headworks were made in KPK and Baluchistan. We are grateful to him other wise we would be living in caves. No body and I repeat nobody has constructed any Hydel project since. Hope you will now comment with material to support.

Recommend 0

Fast

Nov 18, 2015 09:49pm

@Khan- Pakistani Is Gawadar port in situated in Punjab?? where Pakistan largest air port is under construction. You forget diamir bhasha dam which is in Gilgit baltistan. You also forget Munda dam which is in Baluchistan. You also forget Sukhi kinari project which is in KPK. You also forget Hazara mother way which is in KPK. You also forget Gawadar to ratodero moterway which all in Sindh and Baluchistan. I think you also forget That coal project in sindh and many more.

Recommend 0

Azhar Malik

Nov 18, 2015 10:50pm

@Sab Se Pehle Pakistan What type of confidence you have in COAS if he is not taking action on PMLN corruption in mega projects. So far he has failed to oust Defence Minister from his post inspite of his grave insulting remarks about army. Please don't repose any confidence in him as long as he does not take any action in Punjab against PMLN ministers and assembly members.

Recommend 0

berni

Nov 18, 2015 11:08pm

Good to see some mechanism of accountability.

Recommend 0

Tariq Amir

Nov 18, 2015 11:44pm

Good news. I am not expecting miracles from anyone, but this government is doing fine so far.

Recommend 0

Fast

Nov 19, 2015 12:03am

Only PML-N has guts to solve the problems that Pakistan is facing.

Recommend 0

MIG

Nov 19, 2015 12:15am

@Khan- Pakistani, Western route has already been initiated - Be positive and hold on Khan Sb.

Recommend 0

Rocket

Nov 19, 2015 01:01am

PMLn is doing a far better job then what Msharraf did in his 10 year term and Zardari in his 5 year term. Multiple projects related to power, education, clean water, land record digitalization, dams, infrastructure have been initiated in the last two years of PMLn government then in the preceding 15 years. Good work NS. Keep it up

Recommend 0

Haseena302

Nov 19, 2015 01:27am

@Khan- Not So Pakistani - Did you read what was written above? If you did - were you able to comprehend its meaning? All parties were represented in that committee including your favorite party and everyone seems satisfied with the progress. Just because your favorite party is not the one implementing this does not mean that you go communal!

Recommend 0

Cyrus

Nov 19, 2015 01:30am

It is the right time for Pakistan to modernize. That is what Pakistan citizens need to focus on. Nothing else. Pakistanis need to unite on moving the country forward and not worry about who is making the money. People who cooperate with others make money. The Chinese people have sacrificed many times for the nation. It is difficult to see how Pakistanis are doing that.

Recommend 0

Cyrus

Nov 19, 2015 01:42am

@Khalid ... We can make enough energy to light a small battery powered lamp from a grapefruit, and it's juice. Every person in Pakistan can have LED lighting. If the government has not provided electricity in 70 years than people should learn simple scientific experiments and provided their own electricity. People can provided their own solar electricity if they want to cooperate with their neighbors in small groups. Install florescent lighting and LED lighting in every home and office in Pakistan and reduce electrical use.

Recommend 0

Cyrus

Nov 19, 2015 01:49am

@flipflop .... Wait a minute. Politics is about self interest. Everyone's politics is about self interest. If politicians are making money ... well, that's what they do. That is not going to change. It is not ever going to change. This life is about taking care of yourself first. That's all they are doing.

Recommend 0

Cyrus

Nov 19, 2015 01:56am

@Zubair ... .. More people need more electricity. More industries need more electricity. It's not complicated.

Recommend 0

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Nov 19, 2015 02:21am

What a serious joke?

Recommend 0

Cyrus

Nov 19, 2015 02:34am

@Disgusted ... The Chinese implement long term projects. Pakistan's leaders are forced to announce unrealistic short term projects. Taking shortcuts has cost Pakistan big time. Rural electric power was being rapidly installed in the United States beginning in 1920. That was 95 years ago. Electrical power is a long term system. Transportation is a system. Field technologies are automated systems. Health care is a system. Systems need to be developed and connected. Population growth is putting pressure on systems and infrastructure. Pakistan's systems cannot be paid for by tax revenues alone. Far from it.

Recommend 0

A. Ali

Nov 19, 2015 03:48am

in 2018 Govt would say projects will be completed in 2021 because of delay, due to Dharanas of PTI........ regarding NAP laziness by govt in the wake of unfortunate APS incident, what excuse they will conjure when COAS returns after his USA visit ?. as noose is being tightened around those who are very influential in different political parties, but rangers have clinching evidence about their involvement in many corruption cases...!!! will they dare to say we will do it by 2016 ? forget even 2017.....

Recommend 0

BNS

Nov 19, 2015 03:53am

Good news. Committe members, please ask the responsible officials to provide the milestones with timelines that will lead to completion of these projects by 2018, monitor the progress periodically, and take corrective actions, when needed, timely.

Recommend 0

Ahmad

Nov 19, 2015 04:41am

We are doing that since last 25 years.

Recommend 0

Ray ray

Nov 19, 2015 05:13am

Democracy at work. Keep it up or be elected out.

Recommend 0

SHAIKH YOUSUF

Nov 19, 2015 05:48am

But ordinary Pakistani can not afford to pay their electric bill. If all of us Pakistani were government official then they don't have to pay.

Recommend 0

Zahid

Nov 19, 2015 06:07am

What really needs to be done is that the generator motor needs to be designed and manufactured in Pakistan. This is old technology and easily designed. Our own engineers can probably improve it tremendously. This is much better than nuclear or gas or oil.

Recommend 0

Video

Branded Content

Etihad Town opens a new chapter with the launch of Phase – IV

Etihad Town Phase - IV marks the developer's ninth project across Pakistan and fifth development in Lahore, further strengthening its presence in the country's real estate landscape.