Minister Imtiaz Ahmad Shaikh while talking to the media has said that the provincial government has decided to strongly oppose the new Alternative Renewable Energy Policy (AREP) 2019 in the Council of Common Interests (CCI). He said Sindh offers huge opportunities to not only resolve power crisis but also to make Pakistan an energy efficient country if the resources are utilized to their maximum level.
“The AREP has recently been approved by the Federal Cabinet without incorporating the proposals sent by the provincial government,” Shaikh said. There are reports that the policy is being sent to the CCI for endorsement, however, we would oppose it because it hurts our interests. Not even a single ministerial level meeting was held in this regard,” he complained.
The province has huge deposits of high quality indigenous coal in Tharparkar, 60-kms long and 80-kms wide wind corridor in Thatta and Badin districts, Gharo and Jhimpir, and many ideal sites for the solar energy. “Our recommendations should be incorporated in the policy before it is sent to the ECC for endorsement,” he concluded”.
