Pakistan to get 1000 MW of electricity through agreement in Tajikistan

DUSHANBE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a meeting with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon here on Wednesday offered Tajikistan the use of Pakistani seaports for imports and exports that provide the shortest route to the sea.

The stage has been set for sealing a historic accord for the supply of 1,000 MW electricity to Pakistan by Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan via Afghanistan as Nawaz Sharif arrived here to ink the agreement. The project would greatly help Pakistan overcome the shortage of electricity, especially in summers.

The delegation from Pakistan helped in overcoming an eleventh hour hiccup on setting up convertors from DC to AC current in Kabul and it was ultimately decided that a converter at Sang-Toda in the bordering area with Pakistan would be set up beside the second one near Nowshera. The idea of building a converter in Kabul has been dropped.

Afghanistan will get 300MW electricity from the Sang-Toda convertor and it would save an $1.5 billion overall in the cost of the project.

The prime minister was accorded a red-carpet welcome as he arrived in the Tajik capital on a two-day official visit. Tajikistan Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda received Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the airport while President Rehmanv of Tajikistan hosted a dinner in the magnificent Nation Palace after having talks with him. The Afghan leader and Kyrgyz president are also present in Dushanbe but President Rehmmanov hosted a banquet in honour of the prime minister of Pakistan and the evening was declared as “Shaam-e-Dosti” (evening of companionship) where Persian, Tajik, Urdu and Punjabi poetry was sung by Tajik artists.

Water and Power and Defence Minister Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi and Secretary Water and Power Yunus Dhaga are also part of the delegation of the prime minister.

Nawaz Sharif was profusely greeted and welcomed by the government here as red carpet was rolled out for him. Two children presented bouquets to Nawaz and a contingent of static guards presented him salute. Children attired in colourful traditional dresses lined up at the airport to greet the visiting dignitary.

Pakistan's ambassador to Tajikistan Tariq Soomro, Tajik Ambassador Jononov Sherali and senior government officials were also present at the airport. The prime minister will attend the launching ceremony of the Central Asia-South Asia 1000 (CASA-1000) project today (Thursday) at Tursunzade city, 47 kilometres from here.

The CASA-1000 project will import electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan via Afghanistan and is aimed at helping Pakistan get cheaper and clean energy to minimise its electricity shortage. The agreements on CASA-1000 have already been signed to implement the project and the process of laying the transmission line is underway.

Tajikistan is the world's third largest producer of hydroelectric power after the United States and Russia. Hydroelectric generation accounts for 76 percent of the total energy output of the country. The initial plan is to transmit power in the range of 1,000 to 1,300MW from the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan to Pakistan and Afghanistan. The major share of the exported energy will be consumed by Pakistan while approximately 300MW will be used by Afghanistan.

Nawaz Sharif visited tomb of great Sufi saint of the region Mir Sayed Ali Hamadani before landing in Dushanbe. For the purpose he had stopover in Kulob town where the tomb is situated. He paid respects to great Sufi saint of 14th century and offered Fateha Khawani. The saint who is also known for spreading Islam in Kashmir through his teachings was born in Iran and died in Afghanistan but buried in Tajikistan. Nawaz Sharif also signed the visitors' book and wrote his comments.

Nawaz had round of the museum displaying the work of the great Sufi saint. Tajikistan's First Deputy Prime Minister Saidov Davlatali received the prime minister at the Kulob airport, situated in the Khatlan province. The prime minister and his delegation stayed in Kulbon for about an hour before proceeding ahead for Dushanbe. The meeting and talks between visiting prime minister and host President proved to be remarkable success.

Nawaz and President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in areas of trade, energy and connectivity. Chairing the delegation-level meeting held here at Qasr-e-Millat - the presidential palace - the two leaders emphasised on close collaboration between Pakistan and Tajikistan at the levels of governments and people. 

Nawaz in his remarks at the meeting said Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Central Asia, particularly Tajikistan, which is geographically closest to it among all Central Asian states. He said CASA-1000 would prove a significant milestone for Pakistan to minimise its electricity shortage and apprised the Tajik president of his vision to overcome power crisis in the country by 2018.

Both leaders agreed that connectivity holds key to regional integration and expressed satisfaction over the recent launch of direct flights of Tajikistan's Somon Air from Lahore to Dushanbe. Nawaz mentioned that bilateral trade between Pakistan and Tajikistan had steadily risen to $15 million in 2011 to $89 million in 2014 and called for taking steps to achieve the target of $500 million in three years. He said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would provide new opportunities for enhanced connectivity and integration from Gwadar to Kashgar, besides providing a road link with Tajikistan through Murghab and other Central Asian States. 

The prime minister said Pakistan attaches great importance to security cooperation with Tajikistan, and proposed sharing of experiences on counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics, controlling human trafficking and border control practices.

President Emomali Rahmon welcomed the development of CPEC, which will also facilitate connectivity between Pakistan and Tajikistan and other Central Asian States. He acknowledged Pakistan's support to the request by Tajikistan to accede to the Quadrilateral Agreement on Traffic in Transit among China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.

—Originally published in The News