Expressing happiness that the Thar desert was developing fast, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday said that the Thar Coal was the project of Pakistan’s development and prosperity, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the Thar Coal Mines Phase-II at Thar Coal Block-II, he said that Rs10 per unit electricity would be produced from the project. “It is heartening to note that the coal plants set up under the project will not release pollutants into the air,” he said, and added that he was pleased that the local people were getting jobs as several other industrial units had become operational in the area.  

PM Shehbaz informed that the country currently had coal projects of 4, 000 megawatts. “At a time when gas has become extremely expensive, and is now out of our reach, it will be great mistake if 175 million tonnes of coal reserves of Thar are not utilized for the people’s benefit,” he said, and added that Rs5 to Rs6 billion could be saved through the project.

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The prime minister said that there was a need to expand the rail network to Thar so that coal from the area could be transported to other parts of the country as well.

PM Shehbaz said every government which contributed towards the development and expansion of the project developed praise.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that it was late prime minister Benazir Bhutto (BB) who had laid the foundation of Thar Coal project, which would lighten up the entire country in years to come by producing electricity besides keeping the industry functioning. “It is a ‘game changer’ for Pakistan’s economy,” he commented.  

Murad went on to say that a large network of roads, bridges and other infrastructure was required in the area. “And the Sindh government built the required infrastructure at the cost of $750 million,” he informed.  

Speaking on the occasion, Foreign Minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the country’s destiny could be changed courtesy this project. 

He said that it was the Sindh government’s desire that work on the project should be completed at proverbial ‘Punjab Speed’.  

He said had the Sindh government not taken the project seriously, there could have been no progress on it. 

Earlier, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah and federal ministers welcomed the prime minister on arrival at the site of the project.