ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Water and Power Abid Sheir Ali on Friday told Senate that Kalabagh Dam could generate 3600 MW electricity, saying that work on the mega Diamer-Bhasha Dam will be started next year.
Responding the senators question during Question Hours, the state minister said that the process of land acquisition for Diamer-Bhasha dam was nearing completion and work on the mega project will be started next year.
When the minister mentioned KBD during his reply, PkMAP senator Usman Khan Kaker protested, saying that the project was controversial and did not merit even a mention in the house.
Abid Sher Ali told the House that a master plan had been prepared to promote hydel projects to eliminate energy crises in the country. He said the construction of mega reservoirs had become imperative in order to avert wastage of water.
He said under the 18th amendment, the provinces are also authorized to carry out small hydel projects. He said that government was also facilitating private investors for promoting hydel power projects on build-on-operate-transfer basis.
At present private power and infrastructure board was facilitating sixteen hydel power projects having cumulative power generation of capacity about 6350 megawatts for development in private sector. Out of these, three projects of 2690 megawatts were being processed under the frame of China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor.
Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources Jam Kamal told the House that during the last six years some $830 million were earned through mining of gold, silver and copper from Saindak Copper Gold Project. “Out of the $830 million Pakistan’s share was a meager $170 million and the remaining amount was repatriated by the foreign companies,” he informed the house.
Upon this Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani commented that the country resources were being exploited by others and the actual amount was being repatriated out of the country. He said that biggest loot sale was going at Saindak project. He said that the minerals taken out from Saindak were processed abroad. He called for giving ownership of the project to Balochistan.
The minister told that the house that the federal government earned $105 million profit from the Saindak Gold and Copper project while Balochistan earned $70 million during the last five years.
He further told the House that the domestic oil production was meeting 20 to 25 percent requirements of the country while the remaining volume was being imported from different countries.
He said that the government was also focusing on switching over to high grade fuels in order to enhance efficiency in vehicles which will also help to protecting the environment. He said that Pakistan Arab Refinery Limited and Attock Refinery were producing Euro-II compliant diesel oil while other refineries are also given a deadline of June next year to produce this high quality fuel.
Speaking on his call attention notice against the Tax Amnesty Scheme, MQM Senator Atiq Sheikh said that such schemes encouraged tax evaders and people whiten money earned through corruption by such schemes. However, the notice was rejected by Chairman Senate.
Responding to a call attention notice, Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali said that no power station was closed today due to non-payments, which in the past forced people to face prolonged power outages.
He said that payments to Pakistan State Oil were also being made on regular basis. He said that the government was facing problem in recoveries from the provinces which owe 331 billion rupees. He said similarly, recoveries of 350 to 400 billion rupees are due on domestic consumers. He said some improvement has been made in recoveries but still a lot more needs to be done to get the dues from provinces.
Later the house was adjourned to meet again at 3:00pm on Monday
