MPs laud CPEC during visit of projects in Sind, Thar.

ISLAMABAD -- Parliamentarians visiting CPEC projects in Sind, termed Thar as 'bulwark of Pakistan's future Energy Security' as Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said that Pakistan's natural wealth key to reviving national economy instead of perpetual dependence on IMF.

The delegation was organised by Pakistan-China Institute (PCI), in cooperation with Power China in Port Qasim and Shanghai Electric and Sind Electric Coal Mining Company (SECMC) in Thar.

The delegation was led by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman, Senate Defence Committee and PCI. During the three-day visit, the delegation first visited the Power China project at Port Qasim, which generates 1320 megawatts of electricity. Power China CEO Guo welcomed the delegation and briefed them on the project.

The Port Qasim power plant, an Early Harvest project of CPEC, provides electricity to over four million homes through clean energy, and it emits environment-friendly white smoke, using supercritical technology. The project has generated jobs, provided revenue to Pakistan worth over $ 600 million in taxes and duties, and contributed to resolving Pakistan's chronic energy shortage.

Then on day two of the Sind CPEC projects tour, the delegation flew to Thar where it first toured the Sind Electric Coal Mining Company (SECMC), which is a joint private-public partnership with support of the Sind government and China, witnessing the driving of dumper trucks by Thari women, in a living example of Women's empowerment.

The delegation also visited the newly established 1320 megawatts power plant established with investment from Shanghai Electric. China's total investment has been $ 26 billion, generating 85,000 jobs, including 12,000 in Thar, plus 28,000 Pakistani students now study in China, resulting in a huge socio-economic transformation of the country, thanks to CPEC.

Over 5000 megawatts of electricity have been added to the national grid and some 700 kilometres of road infrastructure have knit the Federation of Pakistan closer together facilitating easier and faster travel.

Speaking to the workers of CPEC projects in Port Qasim and Thar, Senator Mushahid Hussain termed CPEC as 'single most transformative initiative for economic development in the last 30 years, as it provided a basis for energy security, employment, and changing lives and livelihoods of the people of Pakistan'.

Senator Mushahid Hussain said that 'Pakistan huge natural resources, including mineral wealth, natural gas...