ISLAMABAD - In view of the looming power crisis, Pakistan has directed all relevant agencies to chalk out an emergency power generation plan within a week.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told agencies during two marathon meetings here on Monday that he had formed a four-member committee to finalize and submit the requisite plan and policy guidelines to respond to an emergency power shortage. He was informed that a power shortfall of about 1300 megawatts in the Water and Power Development Authority system and about 400-500 megawatts in the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation was being witnessed. In the wake of its growing energy needs, Pakistan is also weighing other options, the major one being the proposed gas pipeline from Iran to India via Pakistan. Iran will be supplying gas to India as well as to Pakistan following completion of the project, likely to be initiated in 2006. Gas supply from the Islamic Republic of Iran would help both these countries, where there has been significant industrial growth, to cope with their energy requirements. In this context, a Pakistan team is visiting Iran on November 16 to hold two days of talks with Iranian officials on the details of the "peace" pipeline project. Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India Shaukat Aziz and Manmohan Singh, respectively, in their recent meeting in Dhaka, reiterated their commitment to the multi-billion gas pipeline. PIN/IRNA
کد خبر 71735