(Karachi) Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Azad Pattan Hydropower Project will help create job opportunities for the people of Pakistan.

Addressing the participants after signing an agreement of the hydro power project with China, he stated: "It is a project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor."

The PM said that the government is making the project with its own resources as an investment and not by taking loans. He mentioned, "The Azad Pattan Hydropower Project would help in development of the country."

He added, "With an investment of $1.5 billion-no fuel import, we move towards cheaper and greener power."

Last year in November, Pakistan and China agreed to include 700 megawatts Azad Pattan Hydropower Project under the CPEC. which is to be financed through Chinese currency.

The project is a run-of-the-river scheme on the River Jhelum, in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with a capability of four hours of daily peaking.

The project would be located near the Azad Pattan bridge upstream of 720 MW Karot Hydropower Project and downstream of 640 MW Mahal Hydropower Project and would be part of the River Jhelum hydel cascade.

The project would deliver approximately 3.3 billion units of clean, renewable energy in the grid after its completion in 2026.

Being developed under the 2002 power policy, the project would be transferred free of cost to the government after the term.