4,000MW to be added from Thar coal by 2015: CM

that over 4000-MW electricity will be added to the system from Thar coal by the year 2015.

In his speech on the Sindh government’s four-year performance, the chief minister came down hard on PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif. He held the premier responsible for the current energy shortfall. He recalled that he had put a question about the reasons for shelving the Keti-Bundar and Thar coal projects, initiated by Benazir Bhutto’s first government in 1988. “Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the then federal minister for petroleum and natural resources, replied the government couldn’t waste money on the Thar coal project.” Qaim further said if the Thar Coal project was not shelved, at least 10,000-MW electricity might be added to the system. Criticising Nawaz Sharif, the chief minister said the PML-N chief whenever came to the province he called himself as “a friend of Sindh”.

He went on to say, “Nawaz Sharif lacked wisdom and leadership qualities.”

Talking about the coal reserves, the chief minister said that during the PPP’s second government under Benzair Bhutto, the reserves, identified by the PPP, contained 175 billion tonnes of coal that would be sufficient for “our next 100 years energy needs”.