Tajikistan seeks access to Gwadar port for exports

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of Tajikistan, Zubaydov Zubaydullo Najotovich on Thursday said that his country is in a dire need of access to the world through Gwadar port of Pakistan.

The ambassador expressed these views during a meeting with the Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo here today. During discussion he also pointed out that Pakistan was also looking to import Tajik power to its Northern Areas as Tajikistan has the huge hydropower potentials and cheapest electricity in the world.

Easy and smooth of energy supply has become mantra of every government around the globe. The ministers of four countries, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan signed a resolution to proceed further with the Central Asia/South Asia Regional Electricity Market (Casarem) project envisaging transmission of 1300MW from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan; but further commitment to the project will be linked to the availability of financing. A consortium of three financial institutions i.e. Islamic Development Bank, Asian Development Bank and World Bank has recently agreed to provide $1 billion to Pakistan to import electricity from Central Asian Republics (CARs).

Together with the government of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan an inter-governmental council was established in 2007 and a secretariat in 2008 with the objective of developing the electricity market and the CASA 1000 project.

According to the ambassador the government of Tajikistan would be able to assure its electricity requirements by 2009 and would export to the other countries. For the advancement of the communication projects, the government had adopted strategy to construct new highways and bridges to link Tajikistan with neighboring countries.

“From Pakistan’s point of view it would provide opportunities for Central Asian states such as Tajikistan, to boost exports,” the ambassador said and added that both the countries have signed about 20 agreements, protocols and memorandums of understanding (MoU’s) to extend cooperation in energy, communications, insurance, investments and industry, air transport, banking and financial, agricultural and food industry, transport and constructions of roads, science and technology, education, health, tourism, culture on the basis of mutual equality and to increase the current level of trade.

Cherishing brotherly relations between the two nations the Federal Minister took pride in the fact that Pakistan was one of the first countries, which recognised the independence of Tajikistan and established diplomatic ties.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg5_5