Tajikistans to export hydro energy to Pakistan

Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Sher Ali S Jononov on Tuesday has said that his country would be able to export 1000 megawatts of clean and cheep hydro-energy to Pakistan by 2018. While addressing a press conference here at a local hotel he said that the work on the project- Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000) is underway and Pakistan would receive 1000 mw hydro power within the next three years. He hoped that the project will help boosting energy trade between the two countries.

“The project is financed by the World Bank,” he said. He said that Tajkistan and Pakistan have been closely working in various fields including trade and investment. The both brotherly countries have got huge trade potential in various sectors including textile, agriculture, food industry, and surgical equipments etc. He said that Tajikistan’s total export volume to Pakistan stood at around $100 million last year. Ambassador termed this trade figure as meagre amount. “The existing bilateral trade volume did not commensurate with the real potential of the two brother countries,” he said.

He urged the Pakistani business community to work aggressively to enhance the trade activities with the counterpart organisations of his country. He said Tajikistan was also keen to further strengthen the existing relationship with Pakistan especially in expanding trade and investments ties, through mutual co-operation in power sector. He said that availability of cheep and adequate energy is required by Pakistan- a country that has been facing energy crisis since long. The import of CASA1000 mw electricity will attract foreign investment as well as to boost its local industry, he hopped.