Tajik envoy: tender for CASA-1000 energy project to be floated soon: feasibility completed

Feasibility of CASA-1000 energy project has been completed and the tender would soon be floated in international market for construction of the project, Ambassador to Republic of Tajikistan, Zubaydullo N Zubaydov told a press conference on Monday. He said the CASA-1000 project is a cheaper source of energy, which will cost Pakistani consumers only 5 cents per unit and also help meet the growing demand of energy.
He said the estimated cost of the project is $6.5 billion. "If the project commences today, it may take three years to complete," he added. The ambassador further said that CASA-1000 would enable power transmission to Afghanistan and Pakistan from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. He negated the impression that security of transmission lines was a major subject of discussion, saying, there is no security threat to their instalments in Afghanistan.
Responding to a question, the ambassador said Pakistan has an observer status in Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO). "We wish SCO will extend the status of full member to Pakistan in the upcoming meeting," he said. He said that leaders of both the countries expressed the desire to enhance bilateral co-operation in defence and trade.
He said Tajikistan always co-operated with Pakistan in curtailing drug trafficking and sharing information regarding terrorism. Interior Minister Rehman Malik visited Tajikistan along with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and exchanged views on these issues.
Talking about a recent meeting with Chief of the Army Staff General Kayani, they reached an agreement that all the Tajik students who had illegally entered Pakistan and studying in various non-registered religious Madressahs must be immediately deported. "Out of 400 illegal Tajik students, 300 left for home voluntarily," he said.
During their sideline meeting in Turkey and Russia, President of Tajikistan and President of Pakistan agreed to boost bilateral ties. In this connection, President of Tajikistan would soon visit Pakistan. In the upcoming Head of States meeting, both sides might agree to pursue Afghanistan to ink a trilateral trade agreement among Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. This would help in expediting the construction of road between Ishkashim-Chitral. "This road link directly binds our two countries and Central Asia, enabling the shortest route for delivery of goods," he said.
The idea of setting up a joint ministerial commission would also be on the agenda of upcoming Head of States meeting, he added. Apart from this, Pakistan agreed in principle to operate a direct flight between the two countries. He emphasised that opening of two flights was essential to boost trade between the two countries. He said that a number of Pakistani nationals and tourists who have visited or wish to travel to Tajikistan have significantly increased. "In 2009 our embassy granted 505 visas, so we have issued 810 visas in 2010, which also shows the growing interest of the people of Pakistan in our country," he said.
He added that stopping of direct flight operation between Islamabad and Dushanbe by a private airline was a setback for business communities of both sides. He said during 2010, major efforts were focused on deepening and expanding mutually beneficial co-operation in the fields of hydropower, investment, medicine, education, transport & communication, trade, tourism and combating international terrorism as well as implementation of bilateral agreements.