ISLAMABAD, Jan 31 ( Alliance News ): The management of Block One of the Thar Coal Project, part of the Pak-China Economic Corridor (C-Pac), has achieved a major milestone by completing 145 meters of excavation and extracting coal.
The Pakistani administration and Chinese experts celebrated the milestone at the Thar Coal Block One site.
Block One experts disclosed that Block One is the largest coal mine in Pakistan, with reserves equivalent to 3 billion tons or 5 billion barrels of crude oil.
The Thar coal management said that the annual production of the project is 7.8 million tonnes in the first phase alone.
He said that Block One has been classified as an Early Harvest Project (EHP) under C-Pack.
The management said that the project is a major project of the historic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China and is owned by Block One Down Sindh Company and most of the shareholders of the project are from Shanghai Electric Group.
It may be recalled that under the important milestone of the project, on September 19, 2011, SSR was allotted to Thar Coal Block L to develop an open pit coal mine.
The mining was subsequently leased on May 24, 2012 and the project was included in the Joint Energy Working Group by the Government of Pakistan and the Government of China.
In this regard, the CEO of the project, Mr. Lee Jane and Mr. Chaudhry Abdul Qayyum said that this success has been achieved only through the joint and coordinated efforts of our management team and all the other employees present at the project site.
He said that this first shovel of coal would go a long way in resolving the energy crisis, creating employment opportunities and related development through trade and other economic activities in the Thar region.
He said that development based on local resources in Thar would prove to be a long-term goal for Pakistan in achieving its long-standing goal of energy and economic security and sovereignty.
He said that Thar coal could soon be used for power generation, for which 1330 MW power plant is also in the process of completion.
Expressing happiness in his statement issued in this regard, the Sindh Chief Minister said that Thar always said that Thar will change and the slogan of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is becoming a reality.
Murad Ali Shah while congratulating the people of the entire country on the recovery of coal from Thar Coal Field Block One said that according to the vision of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the Sindh government has achieved another great achievement.
He said that Thar Coal Field Block One has three billion tons of coal reserves which is equivalent to 5 billion barrels of crude oil which is enough to turn Pakistan from darkness to light.
He said that we always say that Thar will change Pakistan and today this slogan is becoming a reality.
The Sindh Chief Minister said that he had received a message that coal had been recovered after digging 145 meters in Block One.
