Balochistan ignored in CPEC: Quddus Bizenjo

on 24/05/2018

Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo has said that his province was being neglected by the federal government in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.`More than Rs5,000 billion is being spent on the CPEC, but Balochistan is not receiving even one per cent of it,` he said while speaking at the Meet the Press program at the National Press Club in Islamabad.

He said a major portion of the CPEC fell in Balochistan, but the people of the province were ignored in development activities being made under the project.`We have to see what benefit the people of Balochistan will get from the CPEC,` he added.`I am collecting the record of the CPEC to ascertain what benefit will be given to our people in the grand project which is being executed in the name of Balochistan,` he maintained.

Bizenjo said he was not against development activities under the CPEC and those being carried out in Punjab under the project, but he only demanded due rights of the people of Balochistan.

Iran Emerging as Regional Hub of Power Supply

on 24/05/2018

Iran is considering plans to increase electricity exports to Afghanistan and Pakistan by linking its power grid to the neighbouring countries as the country increasingly looks to become a regional hub of power generation and supply.“Given the fact that neighbouring countries, especially Afghanistan and Pakistan, need electricity, necessary measures should be adopted to link Iran’s power grid to theirs,” China Global Television Network (CGTN) reported in this month quoting Davoud Manzour, deputy executive director of Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir).

Iran exports nearly 190 megawatts-hour of electricity to Afghanistan. Since the beginning of the current Iranian year, more than 48,000 megawatts of electricity had been exported to Afghanistan through Dogharoun distribution post, Ehsan Siyahzadeh, director for Taibud Electric Office, claimed in a report by Iran’s IRNA news agency.

Electricity from Iran is meeting the requirements of over 13,000 households in Afghan villages located close to the Dogharoun border, according to the report.

Last October, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Mehdi Honardoost said his country was ready to supply up to 3,000 megawatts of electricity to Pakistan. Currently, Iran’s power exports to Pakistan hovers around 130 megawatts.

Manzour asserted that Iran is expected to turn into a regional hub in power generation and supply, maintaining that it currently exports 1,400 megawatts of electricity to Iraq, which is one of its biggest buyers.

Iran’s Deputy Energy Minister for Electricity and Energy Affairs Houshang Falahatian had earlier revealed the country’s plans to synchronize its electricity network with those of other regional countries through joint ventures.“Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company known as Tavanir is in talks to synchronize Iran’s electricity network with that of Iraq in a collaboration that could potentially be extended to other neighbours,” he was quoted by IRNA as saying.“The initiative will not only pave the way to connect the electricity grid with other neighbouring states, namely Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, but also enables Iran to promote its electricity exports to Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Falahatian added.

This January, Iran’s Deputy Energy Minister for International Affairs Alireza Daemi reiterated Iran’s plans to boost power exchanges with regional states, particularly its neighbours. Daemi said that the Islamic republic is planning to increase electric exchanges with regional countries, including Russia, Tajikistan and the Persian Gulf littoral states. Iran is in pursuit of creating an electric power transmission network in the region, he added.The Iranian Energy Ministry, based on its vision plan, is working toward turning the country into a strategic electric power hub, Daemi had said echoing the latest remarks by Manzour.“The current power grid network and the exchanges of electricity enable Iran to be connected to Georgia via Armenia’s power grid and to Slovenia and Europe via Turkey,” he added.

Iran has pursued the expansion of its electricity capacity in the past 15 years to meet growing domestic demand as well as opportunities to export regionally. Iran is the largest exporter and importer of electricity in the Middle East and currently exports power to Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan, according to Iran’s Financial Tribune newspaper. In addition, Iran exports electricity to Armenia and Azerbaijan in winter and imports it when domestic demand soars in summer, under swap deals.The country had also signed an agreement to export electricity with India along with Pakistan in 2012, in which Iran agreed to deliver 4,000 megawatt to India through Pakistan.

According to the latest data released last October, Iran’s electricity exports rose nearly 25 percent between March and September from the same period a year ago.“Around 5.16 million kilowatt-hours of electricity were exported to neighbours in six months compared to 4.14 million kilowatt-hours in the first half of the previous fiscal year, up more than one million kilowatt-hours,” Falahatian was also quoted as saying.

An Iran’s Energy Ministry report, released last year, revealed the country’s revenue from power exports amounted to 3.37 billion US dollars between September 2013 and May 2017 .Falahatian added that more than 40.12 billion kilowatt-hours of power were exported to neighbouring states in the period.

Furthermore, 54 new power plants became operational and the country’s installed capacity experienced an 8,000-megawatt increase, standing at 77,000 MW. Iran’s electricity strategy appears to be in line with the country’s efforts to position itself as a prominent regional player and increase its neighbors’ inter-dependencies on Iran’s energy sector.This is also to buffer the Islamic republic from any future US and Western attempts to isolate the country through sanctions, which will be undermined by a region dependent on Iran.

Hong Kong Invited to Invest in Technology, Logistics and Infrastructure

on 24/05/2018

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi invited Chinese investors and companies to participate in the development of Pakistan’s power sector. PM stated this while talking to Administrator of National Energy Administration (NEA) of China, Nuer Baikeli, who called on him on the sidelines of BOAO Forum for Asia, a statement issued by the PM House here said.

PM expressed the hope to further strengthening cooperation with the National Energy Administration of China and the government of Pakistan. Appreciating the contribution rendered by CPEC energy projects in alleviating the energy shortage in Pakistan, PM thanked  Chinese government and NEA for their strong support and collaboration. He said that these projects were providing efficient and affordable electricity and both sides were continuing to work on other projects based on hydropower in north of Pakistan and local coal in Thar district of south.

He also indicated the need of early completion and synchronization of transmission line of South-North with the upcoming generation projects in Karachi and Thar. PM stated that the oil and gas sector was a priority area which was featured prominently in the Long Term Plan for CPEC. He emphasised that the government was committed to supply clean, affordable and sustainable energy to consumers.  PM said that focus was on provision of affordable and diversified energy mix as Pakistan holds tremendous potential in the coal, hydro, solar and wind sectors.

The PM expressed satisfaction over regular exchange of views between experts on energy from the two sides. He said that private sector was now playing a crucial role in developing Pakistan’s economy by supplementing generation capacities and related infrastructure. Present government has introduced robust policy frameworks that carry competitive incentives and simplified procedures for both local and foreign investors, PM said.

Meanwhile, PM said that businessmen from Hong Kong could expect excellent returns on investment in Pakistan in the fields of financial services, technology, logistics and infrastructure. PM was talking to Chief Executive of Hong Kong Ms Carrie Lam who called on him on the sidelines of BOAO Forum for Asia, PM office media wing said in a press release. PM said Pakistan considered Hong Kong as a significant and largest free trade area and a super connector of the Belt & Road Initiative.

PM said Hong Kong was home to over 25,000 Pakistan origin residents and commended Hong Kong’s policy of tolerance and interfaith harmony that was hallmark of its diversity. He said the enhanced people to people contacts were the key to strengthening relations and suggested a more liberal visa regime for Pakistani businessmen & tourists; and increase in scholarships for Pakistani students in universities of Hong Kong.

He expressed his satisfaction over participation of investors from Hong Kong in the ‘Pakistan Investment Forum’. PM expressed the hope to organise investment and trade promotion events, and B2B meetings in collaboration with the government of Hong Kong. He also felicitated Ms Lam on assuming office of the chief executive through a successful election process that manifested effectiveness of the unique model of ‘one country, two systems’.

PM invited the Chief Executive of Hong Kong to visit Pakistan.The Hong Kong chief executive commended the economic growth attained by Pakistan under the present government and expressed the hope to further strengthen economic and people-to-people contacts.

 

 

 

PCJCCI Identifies Seven High-potential Sectors

on 16/04/2018

The Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) has identified seven high-potential sectors that could be explored for investment by the two countries. These include handicrafts, textile, leather, gemstones, sportswear, surgical instruments, technology-based agriculture and reclamation and salinity control.

PCJCCI presented a research paper to Deputy Minister China Counsel for the Promotion of International Trade Jinan Teng Shaung during a meeting at the Expo Center, Lahore.

Shaung was heading an 81-member delegation to participate in the Auto Show 2018. She also distributed a questionnaire backed by the primary research to obtain direct feedback from the stakeholders of auto market.

The idea behind primary research is to gauge true potential and conduct a SWOT analysis for Chinese investors. She also applauded the research conducted by the PCJCCI and assured of distributing the findings among Chinese investors. — ER Monitoring Desk