Pak PM Sharif wants power projects fast-tracked

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today directed authorities to fast-track electricity projects on a priority basis to provide relief to people in the country plagued by perpetual power shortages.
Sharif chaired the 9th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE) here.
"Pakistan is tapping all sources of energy to increase power generation at affordable rates," he said according to an official statement.
The prime minister directed the committee to take steps on immediate basis for early start of the 1,680-km Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline which would be immensely beneficial in providing energy security to the region.
Sharif had a meeting yesterday with petroleum ministers of the concerned countries where it was agreed that time lines would be set for the project.

He said that a time line of power situation forecast for both short and long terms should be presented to the committee and meticulously followed.

The committee approved negotiations with Malaysia, China, Algeria, Nigeria, and Trinidad for import of LNG. Negotiations in this regard are already under way with Qatar.
CCE also approved government-to-government negotiations with Russia, Qatar and China for the construction of North-South gas pipeline.
The prime minister was informed that negotiations are underway with Iran but due to international sanctions on the country, import of electricity from Iran would not be possible in the short term.