Cheap electricity from Tajikistan likely within 2 years

Tajikistan will be able to export cheap electricity to Pakistan and Iran, Tajik Ambassador Said Saidbaig said here on Saturday. He was speaking at the inaugural session of a seminar on “National Trade Corridor (NTC),” jointly organised by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) at the LCCI.The Tajik Ambassador said his country was constructing a high power transmission line from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. He said a consortium of Russia, Iran, Kazakhastan, Ukraine and Qatar was executing the construction of the two huge hydropower stations of the size Tarbela dam at Raguon.Within two years after the completion of these projects, Tajkistan would be able to export cheap electricity to Pakistan and Iran. The seminar, presided by National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman Major General Imtaiz Ahmad, was also addressed by LCCI President Mohmmad Ali Mian, Ambassador of Afghanistan Anwar Anwarzai and LCCI Standing Committee on Transport and Logistics Chairman Muhammad Anwar.The Ambassador said that the construction process of the international road from Tajikistan capital Dushanbe into the direction of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and China would give an opportunity to Tajikistan to enter Pakistan and reach Gwadar Port. This road would not only benefit Tajikistan, but would also help Pakistan get additional boost in terms of trade, he added.NHA Chairman Major General Imtiaz Ahmad said the completion of the National Trade Corridor (NTC) would not only help bring the world resources to Pakistan, but it would also cut the cost of doing business as infrastructure played an important role in promotion of trade and industry.The NHA chief said Gwadar Port was going to play a big role in the NTC programme because by implementing it in letter and spirit, “we would become part of the international community.” He, however, stressed the need for technical training to abreast with the development-taking place across the globe.LCCI President Mohammad Ali Mian said that with the implementation of NTC programme and declaring Karachi Port as mother port for Afghanistan, Central Asian Republic (CAR) and Western China would give considerable boost to economic activities in the region. He said that the key objective of the NTC programme was to reduce share of domestic transport and cost of non-service factors in total value of commodities.It would also help enhance railways share of long distance traffic of freight and reduction in the operating deficit of railways and improve safety of transport and procurement operations, he said.He said that under the NTC programme, it was proposed to set up multi-purpose parking and resting facilities for trucks and drivers at locations close to the main cities.He said that other carrier companies along with National Logistic Cell (NLC) should be allowed to carry goods in transit to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics as the NLC had failed to operate in these countries due to economic and political situations in Central Asian Republics and Pakistan.Stressing the need for the modernisation of freight trucking fleet, Mian said that it was imperative as Pakistan’s dependence on road freight was high and was growing fast.The government should provide all necessary support for the modernisation of infrastructure facilities under the NTCIP, which would contribute in saving of two to 2.5 billion dollars per annum, he said, adding the modernised trucking fleets would reduce fuel import bill by 25 percent and road maintenance cost by one billion dollars. At the end, Mian distributed certificates and shields to participants.