Bilawal inaugurates Thar coal power project.

THARPARKAR -- Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday inaugurated Pakistan's first major coal-based power project based in Sindh's Tharparkar District.

'Today, the PPP has displayed its belief in delivering for the masses. This project and its success is a milestone for all of Pakistan. The PPP and Sindh government has set an example for all other political parties of this country, who remain limited to tall claims with no actual achievements,' said Bilawal in his address to the inauguration ceremony.

'This project is also a validation of the 18th Amendment and shows what provinces can achieve when they have rights over their own resources.'

Bilawal said the project was also a testament to the success of the public-private partnership model that the PPP has aggressively pursued over recent years.

The PPP chairman also announced several development measures for Tharparkar District, including the establishment of a campus of the NED Engineering University. 'Once the NED campus is established in Thar, we will also set up a multi-disciplinary university on the public-private partnership model.'

Bilawal also announced that the Sindh government would now pay the electricity bills of all Tharparkar residents. 'These are the measures that one expects in a welfare state and in 'Naya Pakistan'. The PPP is the only political party that has consistently delivered on its promises and we will continue to work for the uplift of Pakistan and its people,' he said.

Earlier, the PPP chairman conducted a visit of the project including the power generation plants and the coalfields providing the fuel source.

In his address earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the coal power project was an achievement at par with Pakistan's nuclear tests.

He said the project was a manifestation of the provincial government and PPP's will to provide a better future for Pakistan's coming generations. 'We faced a lot of criticism and received constant negative feedback at the planning stage. Those people were focusing on the difficulties that could be faced in the project's execution. We were aware of the challenges too but knew they could be overcome,' said Shah.

'We did not take a U-turn on the matter and the result has been beneficial for the whole of Pakistan.'

Test run operations were started at the 660-megawatt (MW) Engro Powergen Thar Private Ltd (EPTL) towards the end of March.

The power station's two 330-megawatt (MW) units...

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