Thar Coal Block 6: Sindh blames Centre for ‘blocking’ UK-based company’s investment

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Energy Imtiaz Shaikh on Wednesday blamed the Federal government for not allowing a UK-based company - Oracle to make investment in Thar Coal Block 6.

In a video statement, Imtiaz said that Oracle wanted to make electricity, gas and fertiliser from Thar coal, but this billions of rupee of foreign investment has been put on hold by the federal government.

The British company could not get permission in Thar Coal Block 6.

He said that Oracle had offered a hefty investment in Thar Coal Block 6 and its investment in Thar would have increased power generation.

Imtiaz Shaikh said despite correspondence between Sindh and the federal government, the British company Oracle could not get permission to invest in Thar Coal.

He said that coal mining and alternative energy are the part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He further said that the federal government is deliberately blocking alternative energy projects in Sindh.

Imtiaz Sheikh said that Thar Coal Block 6 project was not included in the meeting of CPEC Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC). JCC, the largest forum of the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor project, is scheduled to meet on July 16.

He told that the Sindh’s wind power project was also not approved by the federal government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021