Islamabad: Prime Minister of Pakistan, Shahbaz Sharif, has approved importing high-quality coal from Afghanistan in the Rupee currency instead of dollar ($), in a high-level meeting chaired by him.
The purpose of the meeting was to improve the transport system of imported coal from Afghanistan. Commerce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar, Defence Minister Khuwaja Asif, Energy Minister Engineer Khurram Dastagir, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Railway & Aviation Minister Khuwaja Saad Rafiq and other ministers and relevant officials attended the meeting.
Speaking to the meeting, Prime Minister expressed deep concerns against the rising prices of coal in the international market, and termed the main reason behind the electricity produced from coal-powered plants.
Prime Minister was apprised the coal import from Afghanistan for Sahiwal and Hub Power plants will cause $ 2.2 billion saving annually. He directed the Ministry of Railway to take all necessary steps by ensuring the immediate supply of imported coal to the coal plants.
The premier instructed to form a committee under the chair of Defence Minister Khuwaja Asif and make part of all the relevant officials into the body.
