LAHORE: The Punjab government and China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for mechanical mining of coal in the Salt Range of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that there were approximately 600 million ton coal reserves existed in Punjab which could be used to overcome energy crisis. “The Pak-China friendship has converted into strategic partnership,” he said, adding that a lot of Chinese companies were investing in energy, infrastructure and other sectors in the country.
On behalf of the Punjab government, Minerals Seretary Dr Arshad Mahmood and on behalf of CMEC, corporation’s Vice-President Jingkai signed the MoU. According to the memorandum of understanding, the CMEC will use this coal at coal-fired power plants, besides helping in development and economic use of the coal.