KARACHI  -  Sindh Minister for Energy, Planning and Development, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, highlighting lucrative investment opportunities in energy sector on Tuesday assured optimum facilities to encourage investment in alternate energy and Thar Coal. The minister expressed these views in a meeting with a delegation of Chinese investors, in which detailed discussions were held on matters of mutual interest, investment and transfer of technology, said a statement issued here. Nasir Shah briefed the Chinese delegation in detail about investment in the energy sector and said that the sector offers attractive opportunities for foreign and domestic investors and profitable investments can be made in the Thar Coal Field and alternative energy sector. “The Sindh government will provide all possible cooperation, assistance in documentation and all facilities regarding land,” he assured.

There are 185 billion tons of coal reserves in Sindh province and 175 billion ton of them were present in Thar Coal field that is located at a distance of 395 kilometers from Karachi and covering an area of 9100 square kilometers, he informed.

The meeting was further informed that 12 blocks, stretched over an area of 1235 square kilometers, were under development in Thar Coal field and each block has the capacity to generate 4 to 5 thousand megawatts of electricity for 30 years.

There are strong ties between the Chinese and Pakistani governments and people, he said and offered the Chinese delegation full support by Sindh government to investors for establishing solar panel manufacturing facility in the province.

The Chinese investors expressed interest in investing in various fields of the energy sector. The Chinese delegation included Wang Xin of Wind Power, Xo Zhingang of Solar Energy Companies and other investors.

Secretary Energy Musaddiq Ahmed Khan, MD Thar Coal Energy Board Tariq Ali Shah, DG Coal Mines Naseem Al-Ghani Sahto, COO Sindh Energy Holding Company Tufail Ahmed Khoso and others were also present in the meeting.