KARACHI: The Energy Department, Government of Sindh, hosted a high-level delegation of senior civil service officers from the Government of Bangladesh as part of the Executive Development Programme organized by the Civil Services Academy (CSA), Lahore.
The visit was conducted to promote institutional learning, regional cooperation and exchange of best practices in the energy sector.
The visiting delegation, comprising senior officers of the Government of Bangladesh, visited the Energy Department for a strategic briefing on Sindh’s energy initiatives, infrastructure development and Thar Coal projects. The delegation was led by Dr. Syed Shabbir Akbar Zaidi, Director (CTP), CSA Lahore and it included Government of Bangladesh officers Salma Siddiqua Mehtab, Muhammad Raihan Akhtar, Zia Ahmed Suman and Muhammad Firoz Ahmed among others. The programme was coordinated in collaboration with the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Karachi.
Secretary Energy, Government of Sindh, Shahab Qamar Ansari, welcomed the delegation and highlighted Sindh’s growing role in Pakistan’s energy security through renewable energy, indigenous coal development, oil and gas exploration, transmission infrastructure and energy efficiency initiatives. Mr. Aslam Soomro Special Secretary Energy Department briefed the delegation on various Government initiatives regarding Renewable , Coal and Oil& Gas .
Managing Director, Thar Coal & Energy Board (TCEB), Tariq Ali Shah, delivered a detailed presentation on the Thar Coal Development and its strategic significance for Pakistan’s long-term energy security. He informed the delegation that Thar Coalfield contains one of the world’s largest lignite coal reserves estimated at 175 billion tons and that operational projects in Blocks I and II are already contributing thousands of megawatts to the national grid.
The delegation was briefed on major achievements including development of modern mining infrastructure, roads, railway connectivity, airports, water supply systems and transmission facilities in Thar. The presentation also covered socioeconomic uplift initiatives including employment generation, women empowerment, vocational training, education, healthcare, resettlement programmes and environmental stewardship in the Thar region.
The visiting officers expressed keen interest in Sindh’s renewable energy and Thar Coal initiatives and acknowledged the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge sharing for sustainable energy development in South Asia.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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