Turkey offers to build power plants in Punjab

[Salman]

Turkey offers to build power plants in Punjab

LAHORE:

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif during his four-day visit to Turkey met on Wednesday with Istanbul’s mayor, the governor and the energy minister and discussed issues of mutual interest with them. Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yaldez offered his country’s support to Sharif in overcoming the ongoing energy crisis in Pakistan.

Sharif’s visit to Turkey has been overdue for two months. He left for Istanbul on Monday, accompanied by a high-powered delegation comprising members of the provincial assembly, technocrats, bureaucrats and experts from various fields, particularly transport, energy sector and solid waste management. The Punjab CM is scheduled to return home on Friday.

Due to his scheduled visit, Sharif had to cancel his party’s provincial organisational elections in Punjab which were due on January 4, but will now be held on January 11, where the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will elect its provincial president and general secretary.

During his meeting with Yaldez, the Punjab CM discussed cooperation in various projects between the Punjab government and Turkey.

Yaldez offered Sharif all kinds of assistance in meeting Pakistan’s energy needs by setting up hydel and coal power projects in Punjab. The energy minister also mentioned various projects of alternative energy sources in which, he said, Turkey and the Punjab government could extend cooperation. Yaldez said he could immediately send energy experts from Turkey to motivate the business community in Pakistan for investment in the energy sector in Punjab, adding that Pakistan would always be a priority for Turkey.

Thanking the minister, Sharif said that under the current circumstances, Pakistan needs immediate “effective and all-out” assistance in the power sector. Istanbul Mayor Kadir Topbash assured the Punjab chief minister that Turkey would ensure a proper status for Pakistan in the international community and will take active part in the country’s development activities.