ISLAMABAD - The National Assembly was informed today that the government is planning to generate 8000 megawatts of electricity through renewable energy by 2025.
Replying to a question during Question Hour, Minister for Power Division Omer Ayub Khan said eleven wind energy based projects have been approved to generate affordable electricity.
The Minister said that around eighty-five percent electricity will be produced through domestic resources to provide the commodity on affordable rates to the consumers in Pakistan.
Omer Ayub informed that a total of thirty-three renewable energy projects with the cumulative capacity of over 1,716 megawatts were developed during the tenure of last two governments.
He said these renewable energy based power generation projects have been developed by Private sector investors and no government funds or expenditure is involved in this regard.
Answering another question, Omer Ayub Khan said that eighteen exploratory wells have so far been drilled in the offshore area but unfortunately all of them found dry.
Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari, while responding to a question, said that government has launched an awareness campaign in the federal capital regarding child abuse.
Responding to a question, Parliamentary Secretary for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Sobia Kamal Khan said that the federal government, in collaboration with Gilgit-Baltistan government, is making all out efforts to reduce power shortage in GB.
She said that federal government in collaboration of Gilgit Baltistan government has initiated a development project for establishment of Regional grid in Gilgit Baltistan phase-1 at a cost of five billion rupees.
Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari says that Pakistan has opened Kartarpur Corridor out of religious inclusive and tolerance in contrast to Indian Supreme Court's verdict on Babri Mosque.
Responding to a point of order, she said the Corridor has been opened up in honor of religious sentiments of the Sikh community.
The Minister said both PPP and PML-N are now saying that they too had envisioned opening up of the corridor, but now they are criticizing the move because the PTI has materialized this.
She said they should refrain from political point scoring over this matter.
Communication Minister Murad Saeed says Hazara Motorway has been completed and will be opened on Friday.
Responding to a point of order, he said previous government had changed design of the motorway to benefit to some crony, which resulted in escalation of cost and timeframe for the completion of the project.
He said so far 10.8 billion rupees have been recovered due to hike in cost by changing designs of various highways, including Hakla-D.I. Khan and Multan-Sukkur motorways.
The House adopted a resolution to extend the "Recovery of Mortgaged-backed Security Ordinance 2019" for a further period of one hundred and twenty days with effect from 15th of this month.
Moreover, "Tax Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2019" and "Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) 2019" were laid before the National Assembly.
The House has been adjourned due to lack of quorum and it will now meet at 11 a.m. on Thursday.