‘AJK capable to generate 14,000 MW hydro-electricity’
Local Friday, August 14th, 2009Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Yaqoob Khan has said that AJK has hydro-electricity potential of over 14,000 megawatt.
The Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Thursday. LCCI President Mian Muzaffar Ali, Vice President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and former Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra also spoke on the occasion.
Sardar Yaqoob said that already 1000 MW project has been initiated while work on another 1000 MW would start soon. Besides, he added, many small hydro-electric projects have been started by the AJK government from its own resources. All this electricity, he said, would be supplied to Pakistan as the electricity requirements of AJK are only 400 MW.
The Prime Minister observed that India could not become Asian Tiger unless and until it withdraws its 0.8 million army from occupied Kashmir. He predicted that India would disintegrate into six states if it failed to resolve the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the people of Kashmir and international commitments. He hoped that the occupied Kashmir issue would be resolved within next two years as India is no more in a position to prolong it any further.
Sardar Yaqoob said that Five-year tax-holiday, exemplary law and order situation, business-friendly bureaucracy and easy a market access were the opportunities that have no match in the entire world and should be availed by all the Pakistani businessmen.
The PM said that AJK government would provide land on easy installments besides facilitating the investors in overcoming all bureaucratic hurdles.
Speaking on the occasion, the LCCI President Mian Muzaffar Ali said that three potential areas that could do miracles not only for the Pakistan but for the whole region. He said that Hydro power projects of 17000 megawatts had already been identified and a little focused attention on the part of Azad Kashmir government could not only fulfill the electricity needs of the entire Pakistan but could also be exported.
Mian Muzaffar Ali said that secondly there are certain areas in Azad Kashmir that have the climate of Europe for whole of the year and are quite suitable for dairy development.
Installing new production units could enhance productive capacity in Jammu Kashmir easily. There is tremendous scope for expansion in the handicrafts, woodcrafts, and handlooms industries. Inviting private sector and involvement of foreign investment would however be a necessary prerequisite to ensure sufficient inflow of resources to achieve expansion of productive capacity.
And thirdly, he said, the local tourism industry requires a world class-enabling infrastructure. An exercise for development of this infrastructure needs to be under taken and series of smooth and well-constructed roads across the State can be established. Road networks in the region need to be refurbished, especially if these areas have to be positioned to attract global tourism. The majority of the roads in the Northern areas and Azad Kashmir fall in this category. Of course, physical infrastructure in terms of five star hotels, an expanded road network, communication systems, banking facilities, and health facilities would all have to meet international standards.
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on Aug 14 2009. Filed under