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Thursday, October 24, 2013
‘PML-N working round the clock to end power crisis’LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the PML-N government is committed to ridding the masses of load shedding, and is working round the clock to achieve this goal.
He was addressing a meeting of the heads of Chinese companies and investors after reaching Urumqi, the provincial metropolis of Xinjiang, China.
Shahbaz Sharif said that his visit to China was the continuation of his efforts to reduce load shedding in Pakistan under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
He said that energy was the only agenda of his visit and he and his delegation had pinned high hopes on this tour.
He said that his prime objective was to get energy sources, particularly solar energy, at the competitive rates during his stay in China. Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan was facing a real crisis in the shape of energy shortage and expressed his belief that the Chinese government and investors would play their due role to “steer us out of this situation”. “We have come to China with the agenda of mutual cooperation instead of aid.”
Later, while talking to the media, Shahbaz Sharif said that the recent visit of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to China had proved a harbinger of a new chapter in the history of Pak-China relations and increased the prospects of cooperation in various sectors, including energy, between the two countries.
To a question, he said that he was ready to visit any country to rid the nation of darkness due to load shedding.
“We are also making efforts to have cooperation of other countries, including Germany and Britain, in the energy sector.”
Shahbaz Sharif visited the solar plant at Hami, 600km away from Urumqi, without taking rest after his arrival. Presently, this plant is generating 1,000MW. Chinese officials assured the chief minister of their wholehearted cooperation for providing solar energy to Pakistan. The chief minister inspected various sections of the solar park for three hours and obtained latest information about solar energy.
Xinjiang Vice Governor Kuraish Mehsut hosted a banquet in the honour of the Punjab chief minister. Chinese federal and provincial officials, representatives of the ruling party and important traders of China attended the banquet.
Addressing the participants, the vice governor said that every Chinese was proud of Pak-China friendship. Kuraish Mehsut said that he was deeply impressed by the speed and working style of Shahbaz Sharif. He expressed his belief that Pakistan would not face the energy crisis for a long time in the presence of leaders like Shahbaz Sharif.
Speaking on the occasion, Shahbaz expressed the hope that Pakistan would succeed in overcoming the energy crisis by replicating the Chinese model.
He said that the assurance of cooperation by the Chinese leadership had highly encouraged officials in Pakistan. Earlier, upon his arrival at Urumqi on a two-day visit, the chief minister was accorded a warm welcome by senior officials of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and office-bearers of traders’ organisations. pr
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk