Linking Thar coal mines with railways to bring economic revolution: PM

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that linking Thar coal mines with railways will bring economic revolution in the country.

He was addressing an MoU signing ceremony between Ministry of Railways and Government of Sindh with regards to connectivity of Thar coal to the existing network of Pakistan Railways in Islamabad.

Shehbaz Sharif said Ministry of Railways and Sindh government have signed a memorandum of understanding to link Thar coal mine reserves with railway network which would help generate inexpensive power.

He said that this project would save over one billion dollars spent on the import of costly coal to meet the requirements of the energy sector.

Shehbaz Sharif said that Thar Coal has capability of producing one hundred thousand megawatt of electricity annually up to next three hundred years.

He expressed the hope that the project would be implemented by March 2023, enabling the transportation of coal to all parts of the country.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique said the project will be completed with the cooperation of the federal and Sindh governments.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah assured that provincial government will extend its full support for timely completion of the project.