China to extend assistance in Pakistan's power sector: ambassador

ISLAMABAD: The Power Division has decided to engage and meet all the investors under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) energy projects individually, in order to further expedite these projects and remove any difficulties.

This was said by Minister for Power Division Awais Leghari in his meeting with Ambassador of China Yao Jing.

He thanked the Chinese ambassador for his choice of the Power Division for his maiden visit after assuming the charge.

Leghari, while appreciating the contribution of the Chinese investors in the power sector, said the CPEC was the epic of relations between the two countries and in the time to come the cooperation would further boost to new heights.

He also invited suggestions of the Chinese ambassador for the planned meetings with Chinese investors.

Highlighting the importance of service at the DISCOs level and the proposed law likely to be enacted soon for private sector participation at the distribution level, the minister invited Chinese investors to participate in consumer services, as Pakistan has achieved bridging of the demand and supply gap through Chinese assistance.

He said the market for service delivery at DISCOs level offers lucrative returns.

All the power sector stake-holders like PPIB, AEDB and NTDC would be part of these meetings in this regard, a press statement read Wednesday.

Ambassador Jing, while thanking the minister for the warm reception, said the performance of power sector under the CPEC had been a success story, which had been acknowledged at different forums in China.

He specially mentioned the Power Division role in leading the CPEC projects and facilitating Chinese investors.

He said the investors in China are keenly observing the rapidly growing power sector in Pakistan and its progress had been reckoned as exemplary.

The Chinese ambassador assured that his country would keep on further extending assistance to Pakistan in the power sector as it had been instrumental for the success of CPEC, besides its significance for Pakistan.

He said China would also look into investing in service delivery at the distribution level and in this regard he would soon engage leading service providers in China.

Jing appreciated the Power Division's decision to meet each investor under the CPEC individually for further boosting the cooperation.

On suggestion of the federal minister, he agreed to nominate a focal person at the embassy level for coordinating the extension of cooperation at service delivery distribution level.