CASA-1000: Omar Ayub inaugurates 113km power transmission line project

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Energy Omar Ayub Khan and Islamic Development Bank President Dr. Bandar Hajjar jointly inaugurated the construction of the 113-kilometer electricity transmission lines from Pak-Afghan border to Nowshera under the South Asia Central Asia Regional Trade and Transmission Project (CASA-1000) in a virtual event, ARY News reported.

Speaking on the occasion, Omar Ayub appreciated the efforts of member countries and the support of all sponsoring partners for financing the construction of power transmission lines infrastructure in Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan under the CASA-1000 project.

He said, “The project will support economic integration among four participating countries, through establishing the regional electricity connection and creation of an integrated electricity market and it will also positively contribute towards energy security since the energy mix of Pakistan has been strengthened through substantial amount of cross border import and export of electricity”.

“CASA-1000 Project is not only a transformative development in economic and power sectors of Central Asia and South Asia, instead it is an inspiring model of how such development change can be best accomplished,” the minister added.

Omar Ayub maintained that Pakistan had embarked upon taping huge indigenous potential of renewable energy. He said that Pakistan’s new renewable energy policy would bring opportunities for investors due to transparent policies of the government.

He said that the government had set ambitious targets to introduce 25 percent renewable energy by 2025, and 30 percent by end of 2030 including 40 percent share of hydel power generation into energy mix of the country.