Country needs cheaper electricity for its industrial and agricultural growth

09 Apr, 2014

ISLAMABAD: Former Secretary Petroleum Dr. Gulfraz Ahmed has said that Pak-China economic corridor will be beneficial for the whole region.

Talking to Radio Pakistan, he said that the plan envisages a railway line, an oil pipeline, road network and a gas pipeline.

Central Asian countries can also benefit from this economic corridor. Gaddani power project will produce cheaper electricity through coal, he added.

An economist Dr. Asim Ullah Bakhsh said energy crisis has affected the economic growth of Pakistan, which needs cheaper electricity for its industriies.

Many developing countries are producing cheaper electricity through coal.

Timely completion of energy projects will also boost the industrial sector, he added.

Dr. Mirza Iftikhar Baig, an industrialist, said te incumbent govt has initiated a number of power projects in the country, which is highly appreciable.

China has announced to make a direct investment of 20 billion dollars in Pakistan's energy sector.

We have seen many positive economic indicators during the last one year. Pakistan needs cheaper electricity to boost its exports, he said.

Executive Director of the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad Dr. Abid Qayyum Sulehri said that economic development and energy are closely interlinked.

He said sufficient energy is a must for industrial growth and creation of employment opportunities in the country.

Currently our fuel mix is mostly based on thermal oil, which is very costly. Pakistan needs cheaper energy for its industrial and agricultural growth, he said.

The government has shown strong political will by initiating a number of new energy projects, he added.

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