CASA-1000 project will generate 1,000MW electricity for Pakistan: PM

The CASA-1000 project will help generate electricity in Pakistan and Afghanistan, said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday as he addressed the Quadrilateral Session of CASA-1000 conference on the final day of his visit to Tajikistan, Radio Pakistan reported. The conference held in Dushanbe was attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov. “Pakistan needs energy for its socio-economic development and [to] run its industrial sector to its full potential,” said PM Nawaz, adding that the CASA-1000 project would generate 1,000MW of electricity for Pakistan and 300MW for Afghanistan in the summer. Hailing the CASA-1000 as a flagship project, the prime minister elaborated that it would connect Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia to Afghanistan and Pakistan in South Asia through an electricity grid. PM Sharif is expected to hold a meeting with President Ghani later today, the state-run daily reported. A trilateral meeting of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan is also scheduled where the leaders will discuss regional security and other issues of mutual understanding. On Wednesday, Pakistan and Tajikistan agreed to explore new avenues of cooperation by increasing collaboration in economy, defence and security, agriculture and education. The PM and Tajik president also signed a joint declaration aimed at enhancing connectivity between the two countries and in the region at large.