PIAF urges govt to expedite efforts for early completion

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has urged the government to expedite efforts for early completion of hydel power projects as both the solar and coal power projects are comparatively costly.

The PIAF Chairman Malik Tahir Javaid in a statement on Monday said that the business community lauds the Punjab government for launching short-term solar and coal power projects but there is no second opinion about it that salvation lies in hydle power projects.

He said that for early economic revival, the government would have to develop consensus on Kalabagh Dam. It would have to remove the apprehension of all those opposing the construction of the mega project of vital national importance.

Malik Tahir Javaid said that Pakistani manufacturing sector would not be able to get a desired place in the international market unless and until it is ensured cheaper and uninterrupted power supply that is a major raw material for almost all the industries.

He said that at the moment about 70 percent of the total electricity being consumed is produced from thermal means therefore it is not possible for the authorities concerned to cut the prices of electricity in the wake of high oil prices in the international market.

He said that a large number of water and power experts including Wapda’s former chairman Shamsul Mulk had repeated conveyed to the government that the Kalabagh Dam is the most feasible project and it does not pose any threat to any province.

Meanwhile, the chairman has expressed grave concern over the Karachi airport terror incident and called upon the letter and spirit implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to implement policies. He said that there is no doubt in it that such incidents always take place whenever the anti-social elements get an opportunity to break the security network.