BAHAWALPUR
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif claimed that more than Rs200 billion will be invested in Quaid-e-Azam Solar Energy Park which will produce 1,000 MW power upon completion.
He said that the park will start producing 100 MW of energy in the first quarter of the next year which will be provided to Bahawalpur and other areas of Punjab.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Quaid-e-Azam Solar Energy Park in Mauza Noor Sar here in Cholistan on Saturday, the Punjab chief minister asserted that Quai-e-Azam Solar Energy Park Bahawalpur would bring revolution, especially in Bahawalpur and Cholistan’s socio-economic conditions and would produce a number of job opportunities for the locals which would lead to progress and prosperity.
He pointed out that now foreigners would invest in the project which would change the local life for better. “The PPP claim to be champion of the South Punjab’s right has become a dream because people of the area negated this claim in the general elections and declared the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) as the real champion of Southern Punjab,” he elaborated. He regretted that though the PPP spent trillions of rupees on Multan Airport it was still incomplete.
Shahbaz Sharif paid glowing tribute to Nawab Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan Abbasi, saying that Nawab Sir Sadiq was a very great leader whose services for the public and Pakistan could never be forgotten.
The Punjab CM maintained that may Allah forgave them who committed worst corruption in projects meant for power generation and even did not made any arrangements of distribution of electricity from these projects.
Shahbaz added that Quaid-e-Azam Solar Energy project could be extended and more such projects would be set up where apart from this, certain other opportunities like new hotels and Airport would be established, adding that other related infrastructure would be built which would help reduce unemployment. “This Solar Energy Project will populate a new city which will enhance the importance of Bahawalpur City,” he expressed his hope and added that Nawab Salahuddin was our elder brother and we held him in great respect.
The Punjab chief minister said that Quaid-e-Azam Solar project would establish a new world and today Pakistan’s biggest solar power project was being inaugurated which was the result of historic mandate given to the PML-N by the public in the general elections.
The chief minister assured that apart from this project more such projects would be started, adding that it was the biggest project in the history of Bahawalpur and termed it a step towards the elimination of sense of deprivation from the people of the region.
Shahbaz Sharif said that such projects would bring the area at par other developed areas of the country, hoping that the project would bring about development and prosperity to this area and open new ways for socioeconomic development.
The Punjab CM declared that no political appointment would be made in Quaid-e-Azam Solar Project and people of Bahawalpur would be given priority in the recruitment process.