LAHORE/MUZAFFARGARH - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday said that result of the first phase of local bodies elections clearly showed that people have reposed confidence in those who work for their welfare and rejected the politics of accusations and falsehood.
He said addressing a ceremony on the completion of $50 million USAID project of f up-gradation and rehabilitation of Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station that will boost its power generation capacity from 650MW to 1,150MM.
US Consul General Lahore Zachary Harkenrider, USAID Pakistan Mission director John Groarke, USAID Pakistan director (energy), Thermal Power Station Muzaffargarh Chief Executive Officer Rukhsar Ahmad Qureshi, other USAID officials besides district government officials were present.
Shahbaz Sharif condemned the terrorist attacks in Paris and expressed grief over the loss of lives. He termed the attack barbaric and added that it has strengthened further the resolve of the whole world to fight terrorism.
He said the government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is taking concrete steps to defeat terrorism and improve the national economy.
He said that the power generating capacity of thermal power station was 1,350 Megawatt when it was established in 90s, which, however, reduced to 650 Megawatt gradually.
The up-gradation would add another 500 Megawatt electricity to the national grid from thermal power station by enhancing its capacity to 1,150 Megawatt, he added.
The CM Punjab said that additional 3,600MW electricity would be generated through gas by the year 2017 with the help of Chinese and US companies and hoped that it would end loadshedding in the country.
The Punjab CM said that big water reservoirs are also being built and power projects are being executed in all the four provinces with the assistance from US and China. Moreover, wind and solar power projects are also being executed to add more power to the national grid.
He said that generation capacity of Quaid-e-Azam solar power plant would be increased further.
US Consul General Lahore Zachary Harkenrider and USAID Pakistan Director (energy) reiterated the US support to upgrading Pakistan's energy sector. They praised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over their relentless efforts to overpower energy crisis.
They said the US was also helping Pakistan in executing dam and hydel power projects. They said that another 300MW electricity would be added to the national grid in April next under a clean energy project.
Director USAID Mission John Groarke and American Consul General Zachary Harken Rider addressing the inaugural function of restoration of Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Plant paid rich tributes to the tireless efforts of Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif towards eliminating energy crisis. They termed Chief Minister a true leader of people who is working hard to rid the country of energy shortage. They said that Shehbaz Sharif has been successful in giving practical shape to energy projects. They assured that American government will continue cooperation in energy sector.