DUSHANBE, March 17, 2011, Asia-Plus — During a meeting with Tajik Ambassador to Pakistan Zubaydullo Zubaydov, Pakistani Federal Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar noted on March 16 that his country does not intend to pull out of the Central Asia-South Asia Regional Energy and Trade (CASA-1000) project, Davlat Nazriyev, a spokesman for the Tajik MFA, told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon.
According to him, Pakistani minister also stated that Pakistan was committed to carrying out all projects leading to overcome the electricity shortage in the country and stressed the need to further explore new avenues by private sector of the two countries for mutually beneficial cooperation in all fields particularly trade, energy, agriculture, health care, infrastructure and banking.
Tajik MFA spokesman added that Mr. Syed Naveed Qamar who was also cochairman of Tajik-Pak commission for trade and economic cooperation had assured Tajik diplomat that Islamabad adhered to implementation of agreements reached with Tajikistan in all fields.
In the meantime, Pakistan’s
Daily Times
reports that during a meeting with Tajik Ambassador to Pakistan Zubaydullo Zubaydov, Syed Naveed Qamar Federal Minister for Privatization, Water and Power said on Wednesday that the CASA-1000 Project will further strengthen and improve bilateral economic ties between Pakistan and Tajikistan. The respect and love for Pakistan expressed by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, which was visible during his recent visit to Pakistan, would further cement the existing relations between the two countries, he added. Qamar further said that the Protocol signed in Dushanbe this month during the 4th Pak-Tajik commission for trade and economic cooperation provided vast opportunities for bilateral cooperation in various fields including agriculture, education, trade, energy, health, sports, tourism, industry, investment, banking, transport, communications, culture and combating drugs.
Tajik Ambassador to Pakistan Zubaydullo Zubaydov, for his part said that the leadership and the people of Tajikistan attach great importance to the relations with Pakistani leadership and the people, which would continue to increase manifolds in future,
Daily Times
said.
It is to be noted in Point 8 of a joint declaration signed during Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani’s visit to Kyrgyzstan (March 15-16 this year), Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan expressed interest in cooperation in the framework of the CASA-1000 project and underlined the importance of implementation of this project.
The objective of the CASA-1000 project is to promote electricity exports from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The project outcome will be measured by the amount of electricity (in kilo Watt hours) exported through the transmission system to be constructed under the project. The CASA 1000 Project would comprise: a) around 750 km High Voltage Direct Current (DC) transmission system between Tajikistan and Pakistan via Afghanistan; b) a DC to Alternate Current (AC) converter station in Kabul to supply Kabul area; c) an AC transmission link between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to supply Kyrgyz electricity to South Asia via Tajikistan; and d) the concomitant institutional and legal framework to enable such electricity trade.
We will recall that an article “Uzbekistan opposes Pakistan’s plan to import electricity from Tajikistan” authored by Khaleeq Kiani and published in
Dawn
on March 13 says Uzbekistan has opposed Pakistan’s plans to import 1000MW of electricity from Tajikistan through a 750-kilometer transmission line through Afghanistan, saying the proposed project in its present form would be in violation of international laws.
According to the article, informed sources told
Dawn
on Sunday that Uzbek Ambassador to Pakistan Arif Karimov met senior officials of the Ministry of Water and Power last week and handed over his government’s ‘letter of disapproval’ for the proposed project. He is reported to have said that all the low riparian states — not only Uzbekistan but Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan too — were opposed to the project because a mandatory Trans-boundary Environmental Impact Assessment (TEIA) report for the development of Roghun hydroelectricity project had not been shared by Tajikistan for clearance.
Uzbek envoy said the proposed transmission line from Tajikistan would cover a distance of 562 kilometers in Afghanistan. “The point to ponder about is how Afghanistan would assure the safety and reliability of electricity supplied through this trouble spot and essentially most vulnerable part of the globe”.
