ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will get 1,300 megawatts of cheap electricity instead of 1,000MW under the Central Asia-South Asia (Casa) 1,000 project as Afghanistan has abandoned its share of electricity due to lack of demand.
This was revealed by Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif, while speaking at a ceremony held for the signing of a protocol between Pakistan and Tajikistan.
Under the original plan, Pakistan had been allocated a major share of 1,000MW while Afghanistan had to import 300MW.
“Now, Pakistan will receive the entire 1,300MW due to weak demand in Afghanistan,” the minister said.
The protocol was inked after conclusion of 5th session of the Pakistan-Tajikistan joint commission on trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation.
Asif said Afghanistan had been given assurances that it would be provided electricity either by Tajikistan or a power generating facility in Pakistan. The joint commission agreed on improving bilateral relations as a lot of trade potential needed to be exploited between the two countries.
The minister revealed that they also discussed three options to connect the two countries through road links.
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been working on electricity trading arrangements under the Central Asia-South Asia (Casa) 1,000 project that will transmit 1,300MW of power from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The Tajik team was told that their request for accession to the Quadrilateral Agreement for Traffic-in-Transit among Pakistan, China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan was being considered. Tajikistan showed its willingness to participate in a truck caravan being organised by Pakistan under the quadrilateral agreement.
Tajikistan also expressed interest in entering into joint ventures with Pakistan investors in processing of cotton, wool and finished leather products.
