Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal Friday said that the downtrodden Tharparkar was going to become one of the biggest private investment centres of the country, as foreign investors from across the world were investing billions of rupees in the desert district.
A foundation has been laid to make Tharparkar, the energy capital of the country and soon the people would start receiving round-the-clock power supply because of the mega power projects being set up, he said.
Ahsan Iqbal, who also holds the portfolio of Planning, Development and Reforms expressed these views while speaking to media after a daylong visit of mining and power projects at Thar Coal Block II.
He also inaugurated safe drinking water plant at village Seengario and visited Model House being constructed at Senhri Dars Resettlement Model Village.
Ahsan Iqbal said the government was striving to make Pakistan an economic developed country to compete with other countries of the region, including India. It was because of the efforts made by PML (N) government that the country’s dead economy was now showing high rate of growth rate, he said. Terrorism was being rooted out while the projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor would soon start providing fruitful results in every nook and cranny of the country.
No economic development could be achieved without political stability in the country, he said and added that there was need to give up ‘sit-in politics’ and promote the politics of cooperation for making the homeland strong and developed.
It was because of the cooperation politics that Tharparkar district was now moving to get status of the energy capital of the country, the minister said and added, “If provincial and federal governments cooperate with each other on projects like Thar Coal, no one could stop the economic development in Pakistan.
The minister said that despite the continuous crisis created by unscrupulous elements, the federal government had almost put an end to the energy crisis in the country and added that the billion of rupees investment would change the fate of the district and destiny of the rain-dependent people of Thar.
He said that under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) all provinces would get equal share from the respective projects. Thar coal field and its projects were included in CPEC by PML (N) government, he informed and said that different power plants being installed in Thar Coal Block II would produce more than 4000 MW of electricity soon.
The minister while praising the Chinese government and people said that the neighboring country was greatly helping Pakistan in different projects under CPEC and vowed to foil all the attempts to create any hurdle, or obstacle in carrying out these projects on the path of success.
He said CPEC had a vital role in Pakistan’s economic development achieved during the last three years, adding “with the completion of CPEC projects, Pakistan China relations will become further strengthened.”
Ahsan Iqbal informed deployment of Chinese workers on CPEC projects was a matter of pride for Pakistan. “Foolproof security cover is being provided to the workforce as special security force has been set up for the purpose.”
The two countries would work in unison to secure the western border, he said adding the economic benefits of the CPEC were equal for Pakistan and China.
The minister said that some anti-Pakistan elements, through their agents and pawns, had tried their best to create hindrances in their selfless endeavors to serve the people, but they neither got anything in the past nor would succeed in future. “The future of the country is in safe hands since majority of the people wanted continuity in the projects and development schemes in the country launched by PML-N government, he added.
The minister highly praised the role of the women of Tharparkar, who had shown their skills and working shoulder- to-shoulder with their male counterparts for completion of development projects. The role of area women was commendable as they were performing technical and non-technical job assignments, even they were operating heavy machinery and vehicles, he added.
Ahsan Iqbal, who earlier met women dumper truck drivers during his visit to various plants, lauded their efforts for joining the hard job and setting an example for other women of the country. “Our country will not progress without the active participation of women,” he said.
Referring to the exemplary conduct of living in Tharparkar, the minister said that it was in the right direction of the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The people of the area have been engaged for progress and prosperity of the country without any creed, caste, religion and sect, which is the vision of the Father of the Nation, he said.
He said that launching of development projects had also opened the opportunity of quality education to the children of the desert district and now they were acquiring knowledge in established schools instead of huts.
Similarly, the people of the area had also started getting health facilities after opening the doors of development, he said and informed that the federal government would also establish a university in Tharparkar.
Chief Executive Officer of the Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) Shamsuddin Shaikh briefed the minister on the status and progress of the mining and power plant operations.
The officials of SECMC while briefing him said that the company had completed the 112 meters open-pit mining and remaining work would be completed within the stipulated time.

Source: APP