Pakistan eyes electricity import from India despite border tension

[Lostsoldier]

Asserting that Pakistan will continue to promote trade with India despite tensions along the border, Commerce Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan has said that import of electricity from India will greatly help overcome the country's current power crisis.

Addressing a consultative trade meeting on Friday, the minister said that the PML-N government is committed to increase regional trade as part of promoting peace without compromising on national sovereignty.

"The vision of our government is that we must trade with our neighbours," Dawn quoted the commerce minister as saying.

He said that Pakistan will have to import of electricity from India to overcome the energy crisis.

He, however, added that the country's current tension with India is casting a shadow on economic ties.

Pakistan has been trying to finalise projects with Iran as well but due to the international pressure, the government is facing difficulties in payments, he said at the meeting themed "Trade with Neighbours: Prospects and Challenges", organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).

The country is already purchasing electricity for Gwadar Port from Iran, he added.

Pakistan, which is developing the Gwadar Port with help from China, has signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with Beijing.

"The direction of this government is to encourage investment. A new change will be noticed if Gwadar Port is linked with the North," he said.

The minister also revealed his government's plans to develop land ports at Wagha, Torkham and Chaman as gateways to regional trade.

"Pakistan should trade with India for better standard of living of its own people," Minister for Privatisation Mohammad Zubair, who also spoke at the meeting, said.

"If we want to develop, we should contribute. It is not about India's domination on us, we absolutely want good relations with India," the daily quoted the minister as saying.

He said that it was time to start with a bold decision. "No country in the world can improve its relations without going into business," he said.

In 2008, he said that IBM Pakistan had 400 people while India had 75,000. Foreigners love to invest in India, the minister said.

 

[duhastmish]

There is no harm. It's business deal.

No need to get personal if it can help public of Pakistan. I say great .Let them benefit.

Of course India will also gain money from it.

 

[karan21]

Importing electricity from India will help Pakistan and also provide business to our non performing power stations.

 

[chhota bheem]

Its fine as long as they pay on time every time.

 

[American Pakistani]

What else can be expected by that @$$h0l3 nawaz.

 

[chhota bheem]

What else can be expected by that @$$h0l3 nawaz.

He cannt generate electricity from his @$$h0l3,if thats what you are expecting,comeup with something what he could have done instead of criticising him.

 

[axisofevil]

So they want to use our electricity, our water, our crops, our trade, etc but want to engage in terrorism as state policy....ffs.....wake up...and teach them a lesson in humility.

 

[k7x]

Pakistani

Ports sold
power plant sold
railways sold
nuke plants sold
trasmission lines sold
mines sold

to chinese companies on Build operate and transfer basis

trade between india and china would be peanuts when compared to future trade between pak and china.. i

however anythng positive is always good

 

[asq]

Its fine as long as they pay on time every time.

No pay, have no money to pay, that money if spend wisely can create, wind mills, solar panels and create safe burning methods for coal, but than these politicians do not want to hire from their own, and want to make contracts, because with contracts they get 10 % and by developing own fectoreis and power houses they get nothing only public gets the benefits of jobs, etc, etc.

 

[Badbadman]

Importing electricity from India is a quick fix for Pakistan, to cover the huge shortage in demand and supply. Eventually Pakistan has to build its own power plants for the future.

 

[Arya Desa]

Trade Azad Kashmir Kashmir for electricity?

 

[-1o1-]

We ill give whatever you want give us baaki kashmir

 

[birju]

Importing electricity from India is a quick fix for Pakistan, to cover the huge shortage in demand and supply. Eventually Pakistan has to build its own power plants for the future.

Pakistan has regular 6-10 hour power cuts during 3-4 months of summer in their biggest mega cities like Lahore and Karachi which Mumbai has not witnessed in the last 25 years. How many total hours of powercuts/loadshedding has Mumbai witnessed during the last 25 years?? Just see the hue and cry we make when there is a one hour powercut scheduled in cities like Chennai or Pune or Kolkota.

This move will help Pakistan a lot. Hope the electricity goes first to hospitals and homes and then the surplus to industry.

Also Pakistan does not have any five-star hotel according to the tripadvisor while India has more than 150 such hotels, a room in which costs at least 200 dollars a day. They can also send their foreign guests3 to hotels in India for an ultra luxurious stay in properties like the Taj Rambagh Palace Jaipur, Lake Palace Hotel Udaipur, and Umed Bhuvan Palace Hotel Jodhpur which are unsurpassed in the whole world when it comes to super luxury.

 

[-1o1-]

PAKISTAN WILL NOT IMPORT ANYTHING FROM INDIA ITS A WET DREAM OF HINDUS ND INDIA SORRY POOR INDIANS.

poor boy think before you talk see what all sh#t you are importing from us https://www.zauba.com/export-pakistan-hs-code.html

 

[MokshaVimukthi]

What pakistan should really do is talk to the Hurriyat. They will provide solutions