Tag Archives: Balochistan

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.

Punjab turns No.1 consumer of gas

on 12/03/2018

Three power plants makes it to surpass Sindh

Punjab has emerged as the single largest beneficiary of both imported LNG and locally produced natural gas. Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority  OGRA’s Annual Report 2016-17 said Punjab replaced Sindh as the single largest consumer of gas. It utilised 47% of the total 2,915 million standard cubic feet per day (mscfd) of the fuel during the said year, compared to 42% of 2,727 mscfd last year and left Sindh behind in consumption.

The federal and provincial governments set up three imported gas-fired power plants with total capacity of 3,600 megawatts in Punjab. They They have luckily come online and are believed to increase production with availability of more gas into the system. Sindh largely failed to take benefit of the imported LNG, as its share in total consumption fell to 43% compared to 46% last year.  KPK and Balochistan’s ranks in consumption remained unchanged at third and fourth position, respectively. However, KPK’s consumption fell to 7% from 10%, while Balochistan consumption remained unchanged at 2%.

Recently, the provincial government has initiated the fourth LNG-fired power plant of 1,200MW.  Federal government has recently tasked the two gas utility firms; Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) to lay down the third gas pipeline from Karachi to Punjab to increase gas transportation to LNG-based power plants and CNG filling stations and commercial and industrial users.

Pakistan needs 7 billion cubic feet per day  of gas to meet its requirement. Out of this, 3.9 bcfd is covered by domestic production and 1.2 bcfd comes through imports. Surprisingly, the share of Punjab in total gas production remained negligible at 3% in both years; FY16 and FY17. This, however, was standing at 5% two years ago in FY15.

Despite a notable drop in consumption, Sindh maintained its number one rank at 56%, compared to 63% last year. Balochistan produced 13%, compared to 17%, while K-P generated 12% compared to 7%.The share of imported LNG gas in total gas supplies stands at 16% in the year, the regulator said.

On the contrary, Sindh which remains the single largest producer of gas and facilitating transportation of imported gas to Punjab, continued to face gas outages and low gas pressure in the province, particularly at commercial (including CNG filling station), industrial zones and residential areas.

OGRA reported that the power sector emerged as the single largest consumer of available gas in the country. It utilised 32% of the gas in FY17, followed by fertiliser and residential at 21% each. Captive power plants used 11%, general industry 9% and transport utilised 5% of the total gas in the year.

Human resource the biggest issue of Balochistan

on 11/03/2018

Pakistan lacks specialized skilled resource for CPEC: Gen. Muhammad Asghar

 A consultant of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Lt. Gen. (R) Muhammad Asghar has said lack of human resource is the biggest issue of the country especially in Balochistan, where the successive provincial governments have failed to invest in education and skill development sectors over the many years. In such a situation, he believes Balochistan will be running out of its people when CPEC related activities will be generated in the province.

Gen. Muhammad Asghar who was the guest of honor at the IEEEP All Pakistan Students Seminar in Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro said, while talking to Engineering Review that Balochistan required a shift in its attitude otherwise no change would take place in the province.

He put forth an example from the US which according to him developed after inviting people from all over the world. Balochistan needs skilled people and unfortunately it does not have at home because of the lack of education. The manpower in Balochistan is not sufficient thus CPEC initiatives will require more people who should be invited from other provinces, he says. Besides Baloch, Balochistan houses Pakhtoon population also which will be employed will

yed but still Balochi

 

stan will be running out of men to respond to the demand of CPEC.

“Punjab’s population is reluctant to go to Balochistan due to security issues”, he said. “Also there was already a lot of potential for them in Punjab”.The lack of skilled human resource in Pakistan has forced Chinese to bring their men for the works Pakistanis are not prepared for? It seems so if one listens to Gen. Asghar. “Chinese would come for the sectors we are not skilled for”, he said claiming “But still over 60 thousand Pakistanis are working on CPEC projects in the country.”

Gen. Asghar who gave a detailed briefing on CPEC’s potential for future engineers to a houseful auditorium of the university was keen to respond to the concerns as regards Balochistan. “Balochistan is on the verge of a huge generation of activities under CPEC and now it’s up to the people of the province how they reap its benefits. Balochistan has a larger part of Pakistan’s coastline where 5 to 6 ports would be developed and all benefits are sure to go to Balochistan,” he says. “The subsequent revenue will go to Balochistan; not to Punjab. Now it is up to the people of Punjab especially youth how they get benefits.”Gen. Asghar said the HEC was making all out efforts to produce human resource—the job Pakistan should have begun with from 2007, a decade back from today. We are lagging behind and now trying to bridge the gap. Dwelling over the lacking, he revealed there were many fields in which Pakistan did not have expertise. For instance, we are going for US$8.2 billion railway project but we don’t have experts in railway engineering. While launching master course in UIT we came to know about just one PhD. in the field. Pakistan will have a series of ports right from Gwadar to Keti Bundar in Sindh but the education link is missing since we don’t have ports management and handling engineers. We now have Orange Line in Punjab but don’t have mass transit management experts.

Gen. Muhammad Asghar was sure there was huge scope for engineers in CPEC. For such a purpose, Pakistan’s universities are being linked with Chinese universities. He announced MUET would soon be the part of consortiums of engineering universities. He told the audience that over 20 thousand Pakistanis are enrolled in Chinese universities in various education programs.

Chinese syphon off 1600 kgs of gold: Sana Baloch

on 30/01/2018

‘1974 Saindak lease restricted to copper only’

The Balochistan High Court is displeased with the Mines and Minerals officials as they are avoiding to furnish details of the new contract for Saindak Copper and Gold Project. A division bench of the BHC, comprising Chief Justice Noor Miskani and Justice Hashim Kakar, is hearing a petition which is challenging the agreement between a Chinese Company and the federal government.

The Secretary and the Director General, Mines and Minerals abstained court proceeding which angered the bench. The officials also failed to submit an official reply on the petition. The petition came up for the regular hearing last week. The court censured both the officials for defying court proceedings and also for failure to respond to the petition filed in this connection.

Sana Baloch, a former Senator and a Central leader of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) is one of the petitioners in the case. He was personally present in the court. Deputy Advocate General Abdullah Khan Kakar and Assistant Advocate General Shahak Baloch represented the government. Chinese Company MCC which has been awarded the project was also represented in the court.

Sana Baloch has claimed that the mining lease of 1974 is concerned with copper only and there was no mention of gold. The Chinese company has already taken away 1600 kilograms of gold from the Saindak, he claims. The company did not fulfill its promise to establish a refinery separating gold from copper at the metal mining complex, Baloch said. He thought mining gold from the copper mines is illegal as it is not part of the lease.

The former Senator welcomed the government move to re-open the Saindak Lease Case for a review. He deplored that precious metals from Balochistan are being plundered at the cost of the poor people who are denied basic facilities of life and state services, including employment opportunities. Sana Baloch demanded cancellation of the lease to the Chinese company and called for open bidding at international level in which the poor people should be the real beneficiaries of economic development, mainly exploiting the precious metal mines of Balochistan.

Kachhi Canal to be ready in August

on 23/07/2017

WAPDA Chairman Lieutenant General (R) Muzammil Hussain has said that Kachhi Canal project will be completed in August 2017. The project, which started in 2002, was almost abandoned due to grossly cost and time overrun for various reasons. He said the federal government’s support and excellent work by the Wapda engineers re-energised the project. The authority he said was planning to release water into the main canal gradually during current month from its head regulator located at Taunsa Barrage in Muzaffargarh district to test the canal and its structures. Thereafter, water will be discharged to the distribution system for irrigation in August. He said that 72,000 acres of virgin land will be irrigated in August this year. Kachhi Canal is a vital project to ensure economic development and social uplift in the far flung areas of Balochistan by promoting agriculture and agro-based economy. With completion of Kachhi Canal project, Balochistan will be able to draw its share of water from the Indus River System, people in the area will cultivate their lands and accrue the benefits, he added. During the visit, the Wapda chairman had a detailed round of the various sites and witnessed pace of construction work on the project. Earlier, the chairman also visited Chashma Barrage, and Jinnah and Chashma hydel power stations. Different issues relating to the two hydel power stations came under discussion. In addition, detailed deliberations were also made to enhance efficiency of Jinnah and Chashma hydel power stations.