Canadian firm keen to install solar projects in Punjab: CM

E-Paper | September 30, 2026

Canadian firm keen to install solar projects in Punjab: CM

The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Published March 31, 2019

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar says the latest technology will be used to provide solar energy to DG Khan, Rajanpur, Cholistan and Thal. ─ Photo courtesy Usman Buzdar Twitter/File

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LAHORE: Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on Saturday said a Canadian company has expressed its interest in setting up modern solar plants in Punjab.

Presiding over a meeting at his office, Mr Buzdar said Punjab had huge potential to benefit from solar energy and added that the latest technology would be used for the purpose.

He urged the Canadian company to prepare an off-grid solution for Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Cholistan, Thal and a feasibility report after survey of these areas.

Previous govt’s project earns Rs200m profit

The chief minister said electricity would be provided through modern solar power plants to the areas where there was no transmission line and added that the Punjab government would provide all the required facilities in this regard.

The Canadian company representative and chief executive of Grace Solar Pakistan Nouman Khan briefed the chief minister on the modern technology of solar energy and performance of new panels.

Punjab energy minister Dr Akhtar Malik, chief secretary, additional chief secretary (home), principal secretary to CM, energy secretary, chief of the Special Monitoring Unit, chief executive officer of Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Company, Punjab Power Development Board managing director and president of Canadian company Project International Faiz Ahmed Faizi attended the meeting.

CHEQUE: Punjab energy minister Dr Akhtar Malik called on Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and presented him a cheque of Rs200 million profit earned from the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power project in Bahawalpur.

The solar project was established by previous Shahbaz Sharif government in Punjab.

Following a briefing on solar projects by Dr Malik, the chief minister said the present government believed in performance and earned profit through the best management and professional approach.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2019

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Hamed Quraishi

Mar 31, 2019 12:15pm

Pakistani companys can do that. Profit will remain in lical hands!

Recommend 0

Saif Zulfiqar

Mar 31, 2019 12:47pm

Pakistan is a big market for Solar Projects and investors can make billions.

Recommend 0

M. Saeed

Mar 31, 2019 03:09pm

I am a keen advocate of Solar Tower turbine power generation with integral Green House as their essential integral part.

Recommend 0

SHUJAAT

Mar 31, 2019 03:11pm

we are a big market but no one comes here see tge uk alone DIRECT investment is very big

Recommend 0

Akram

Mar 31, 2019 04:01pm

@Hamed Quraishi, well what is stopping you?

Recommend 0

Akram

Mar 31, 2019 04:01pm

I hope there is some attempt to make the panel locally, and not simply import everything.

Recommend 0

Minhaj Khokhar Silicon Valley

Mar 31, 2019 07:39pm

Pakistan needs to adopt solar technology 100% by establishing its own manufacturing industry. By not manufacturing locally, we will allow foreign companies to take over this market as well. Another important point; Quaid e Azam solar park never made profit by using substandard and unfunctional imported panels. Price tariff, for 25 years, negotiated by the Chinese company was $0.145 per watt, 2 1/2 times higher than normal. So, how did the Park made Rs 200 million profit? Public needs to be shown details of this so-called "profit". Something is wrong here. Is this a way to hide a major corruption that happened at the Park and the Punjab Government? QA Park is under investigation by NAB. This profit needs explanations or should also be investigated.

Recommend 0

Minhaj Khokhar Silicon Valley

Mar 31, 2019 07:52pm

Also, according to industry experts who know QA Solar Park, price per kwh is $0.24 instead of $0.145 as propagated by the Punjab gov't then. Really, question this Rs 200 million "profit" cheaque. It smells fishy. It looks like a way to hide corruption by giving legitimacy to previous corrupt practices. Public has a right to question and know the truth. Don't just keep robbing consumer's pockets by ever increasing rates on their electric bills.

Recommend 0

Gordon D. Walker

Mar 31, 2019 08:22pm

Canadians see a good business opportunity... Good luck! Gordon D. Walker Canada

Recommend 0

Naseem Altaf

Apr 01, 2019 02:47am

Why was a cheque out of the profits of a public sector company given to the Chief minister. What shall he do with it? Normally the profits would be used for further development of the business ?

Recommend 0

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