Federal Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, on Thursday proposed that Pakistan and Central Asian countries work closely to develop a CASA Energy Market, modelled on the European Energy Grid, to enable all nations in the region to fully harness their renewable and conventional energy potential.
The minister presented this proposal during a meeting in Islamabad with the Minister for Energy of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ibrarv Taalaibek Omukeevich, said a press release.
Welcoming his counterpart, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari stated that a practical approach is required for the implementation of the CASA-1000 project, one which accounts for the seasonal availability of inexpensive electricity in both regions. He suggested all participating countries collaborate to finalise the project’s details and ensure its economic viability.
Citing remarks by Pakistan’s leadership on how Afghanistan’s stability is directly linked to rational connectivity, the Federal Minister underscored that the success of any regional project depends on close cooperation. He informed the Kyrgyz Minister that Pakistan’s portion of the CASA-1000 project is scheduled for completion by mid-2026. As both nations have invested in the initiative, he proposed exploring all options to enhance its economic feasibility.
Sardar Awais Leghari further proposed the inclusion of Pakistan’s northern areas in the feasibility studies for a joint Kyrgyz-China transmission project.
Federal Minister for Energy presented a five-point framework for future bilateral energy cooperation these points included to Form a Joint Working Group on Hydropower Projects to share expertise to Undertake joint efforts to advance the CASA-1000 project to Exchange a list of specialised fields to facilitate the engagement of Pakistan’s skilled workforce to Include northern Pakistan in the feasibility for the China-Kyrgyzstan grid interconnection and to Establish dedicated Joint Working Groups to drive collaboration.
Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari also emphasised the importance of Kyrgyz assistance in engaging the Afghan side to reduce volatility and foster greater regional connectivity.
Both sides agreed to increase high-level engagements to jointly resolve challenges in implementing various projects, including CASA-1000. They further agreed to organise an expert-level meeting in Bishkek with participants from Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and the World Bank to formulate a joint strategy.
The Kyrgyzstan Minister for Energy while appreciating the Pakistani side for warm hospitality said that his country is ready to extend all sort of cooperation in order to further boost the existing ties between the two countries. He agreed to the Proposal of closer coordination between the two countries.
Separately, Leghari, on Thursday met with a delegation led by Canadian High Commissioner Tarik Ali Khan. The meeting focused on avenues for bilateral cooperation and investment opportunities in Pakistan’s energy sector.
During the discussion, Tarik Ali Khan initially expressed the interest of Canadian companies in investing in Pakistan’s power generation sector. The Minister clarified that the Government of Pakistan does not intend to procure additional generation in the future.
He highlighted that the real investment potential lies in transmission, network up-gradation, and modern technologies.
Following the Minister’s briefing, Tarik Ali Khan also conveyed interest in the transmission sector, noting that Canadian companies are keen to explore viable investment models and opportunities.
It was mutually agreed that the Power Division would share details of potential projects in transmission, renewable energy, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to accelerate practical progress.
The minister also briefed the delegation on the utility-scale solar project underway in Gilgit-Baltistan. He informed that the feasibility study will be completed soon, and approximately 85 MW of demand has been identified across four to five locations and offering a significant investment opportunity.