LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Pakistan, a historic economic package of 46 billion dollars has been announced which included investment of $ 20 billion only for energy projects.
Presiding over a Punjab cabinet meeting here on Saturday, he said that with the cooperation of China, 10,400 megawatt projects of solar, coal, wind and hydle will be set up in Pakistan and most of the projects will start generating electricity at the end of 2017.
He said that 1320 megawatt coal based power projects will be set up in Sahiwal which will be completed till December 2017. Similarly, 300 megawatt electricity project based on indigenous coal was being set up at Jhelum which will also start working at the end of 2017, he added.
The chief minister said that work was being carried out speedily on solar project of 900 megawatt in Bahawalpur and expressed the hope that 350 megawatt solar energy will be added to national grid by December 2015 whereas 550 megawatt solar energy will be produced by September 2016.
He said that Bahawalpur transmission line was also being upgraded in this regard so that the supply system of electricity could be harmonized with electricity production.
He said that 4.5 billion dollar projects will be executed in Punjab through Chinese investment whereas in Sindh, the projects of 9 billion dollars will be set up.
He said that such a big opportunity never came in the history earlier adding that China has proved practically to be a sincere, trustworthy and true friend of Pakistan.
He said that there was no room for laxity and we all have to put the country on the road to progress and development through hard work.
He said that China was also investing two billion dollars for laying two transmission lines of 4000 megawatt each. One line will be laid from Matiyari to Faisalabad while the second from Matiyari to Lahore.
He said that a historic economic package was a great gift of China for Pakistan and the start of an excellent journey.
Shahbaz Sharif said that planning has also been made for generating electricity through gas in Punjab. He said that Punjab government will set up 1200 megawatt gas based energy project from its own resources while federal government will also set up 2400 megawatt gas based projects in Punjab. 100 megawatt project has been completed at Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur and electricity was being provided to national grid, he maintained. Mentioning Khadim-e-Punjab Rural Roads Programme, he said that this programme started with billions of rupees was of great importance for rural economy.
He said that the work of widening of all rural roads to 12 feet in Punjab will be completed by 2018 whereas 15 billion rupees have been allocated for this programme during current financial year.
Referring to the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project, he said that this was the first and unique project in the history of Pakistan which will change transport culture.
The chief minister appreciated the services of his political and administrative team particularly MPA Rana Sanaullah, MD Punjab Metro Bus Authority Sibtain Fazal Haleem, DG LDA Ahad Cheema, Ambassador of Pakistan in China and Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan on saving Rs 100 billion through successful negotiations with Chinese company.
Talking about the security of Chinese citizens and law and order situation in the province, he said that a special protection unit has been set up for the security of foreigners and Chinese brethren. He said that foolproof arrangements have been made in this regard.
The chief minister directed that the work of computerization of police stations should further be accelerated and the work should be completed by the end of 2016 throughout the province.
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