LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that due to the sincere efforts of the incumbent government, load shedding will become a story of the past in 2018, and power blackouts will never be able to return and haunt the public. Addressing the participants of an agreement signing ceremony between the Punjab government and China Machinery Engineering Corporation at a local hotel for the construction of a 1,263-megawatt gas power project near Trimu Barrage in Jhang, the CM said that the Punjab government had decided to install the gas-based 1,263-megawatt power plant in Jhang from its own resources. “This project is the continuity of great efforts rendered by the government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz under the leadership of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif during the last four years to overcome the energy crisis. Despite many impediments and difficulties, the untiring efforts made by the PML-N government to overcome load shedding have started giving results. The world is a witness to the fact that the government of Pakistan has burnt the midnight oil to deal with the challenges of load shedding during the last four years.” He said that Pakistan had been facing acute energy crisis during the last 15 years, and added that lack of electricity tremendously weakened the national economy. “The load shedding not only amplified the problems of the people in Pakistan but this menace resulted in weakening the industrial sector and also affected health, education and social sectors. We are thankful to Almighty Allah that the PML-N government has succeeded in dealing with the challenge of load shedding.” He said that due to the ability of the PML-N government to work with zeal, energy and patience, the country was about to get rid of the energy crisis forever. “The agreement signed with the Chinese company for 1,263-megawatt electricity project is an important achievement which will prove a last nail in the coffin of load shedding. Due to the completion of this project, electricity will be available in abundance for trade, agriculture and industrial sectors, and we will also be able to sell electricity to India, Afghanistan and Iran.” He said the first phase of the project would be completed in 14 months and it would produce 810-megawatt electricity, while the completion of the project in 26 months would result in producing 1,263-megawatt electricity. “Work on energy projects is being carried out expeditiously throughout the country under the CPEC. Sahiwal Coal Power Plant has been completed, while Port Qasim Coal Power Plant will also be generating electricity this year.” “Our sincere friend China has provided fullest support to overcome the energy crisis and we are thankful to the Chinese government, its leadership and the people.” He said there was no other example of implementation of energy projects in the 70-year history of the country with such speed and transparency. “The PML-N government has moved these energy projects further for the development and prosperity of the country. The Bhikki, Balluki and Haveli Bahadur Shah’s 3,600-megawatt gas-based power plants are generating electricity. Moreover, the 1,320-megawatt Sahiwal Coal Power Plant is fully functional. Besides that, 400-megawatt solar energy power plants have also been set up at the Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur and a Turkish company is installing 300-megawatt solar power plant with a tariff of 6 cents.” He said that the energy projects were an example of their own with regard to transparency, and savings of billions of rupees were also made in the projects. It may be mentioned here Punjab Thermal Power Company Chief Executive Officer Ahad Cheema signed the latest agreement on behalf of the Punjab government, while Vice President Fung Yung Choy signed the agreement on behalf of the China Machinery Engineering Corporation. Published in Daily Times, September 30th 2017.