ISLAMABAD (APP) - Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf disclosed said that another 1,200 MW electricity would be added to the national grid system by end of the current year which would help bridge the gap between demand and supply. Chairing the 85th meeting of Board of Private Power and Infrastructure here he said that seven projects of 1,265 MW which include a 62 MW rental power project have already been commissioned within a short period of around one year. Another 1,200 MW would be added into the national grid by private sector by end of the year, he added. The Minister said Pakistan, like many other countries in the world is facing energy shortages, which is causing pressure on our economy and society. We believe that crisis also brings opportunities in its folds, and the decisions taken in the recent Energy Summit chaired by the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has given encouragement to the private sector for expediting the commissioning of their projects, he said. The Minister lauded efforts of PPIB for playing a pivotal role for bringing in investment in the private sector and appreciated its new initiatives which include launch of ICB for a 300 MW IPP based on RFO which will be located near Lalian Town, Chiniot, and another ICB for a 300 MW IPP to be located at Sonda Jherruk, Sindh based on imported Coal which is in final stages of launching. Pervez Ashraf said that the government believes in the policy of facilitating the investors, and wish to join hands with the private entrepreneurs. Our attitude is positive and responsive to the investors, and we wish to facilitate them and provide them every cooperation for development of power sector in Pakistan, he added. He further added that in order to make electricity affordable, an energy mix is utmost necessary, and therefore we are stressing on the use of indigenous resource like hydropower and our local coal at Thar, as well as imported coal. The representative of SHYDO briefed the Board that feasibility studies on small hydro power projects are in progress in the area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and around 2,000 MW are expected to come online within the next 7 to 8 years. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Water and Power Shahid Rafi, Member FBR Zafar ul Majeed, Additional Secretary Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources Muhammad Ijaz Chaudhry, Chief (Energy) Planning Commission Arshad Maqsood Malik, Managing Director PPIB N. A. Zuberi and other senior officials.