India eyes Thar Coal?

It is once again highlighted that Government of Sindh must not indulge itself in any such dubious deal to award the strategic contracts to Indian companies under the garb of steady improvement in trade relations and for the want of foreign investment. Such strategic projects must not be handed over to the companies from countries which have a history of enmity and hostility for Pakistan.  
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The poor economy has led Pakistan to verge of collapse, this warning was given by IMF to 180 million Pakistanis. The reserves of foreign exchange are not sufficient for next 3 months. In such a situation neither Pakistani loans would be rescheduled nor written of. Not only this IMF declined to issue further loans to Pakistan and the reasons that were for warded by the Jeffrey are based upon ground realities. So the issue of new loans have been conditioned with consent of provinces and guarantee of UN. Moreover he said that if Pakistan wants to recover from economic crisis than tax evasion should be stopped, tax rebates should be ended and the taxes should be levied upon agriculture and other services. Of course IMF is concerned about return of its money along with profit not about the public of the countries getting loans.

While discussing the basic problem of Pakistan Jeffrey repeated three times, energy, energy and energy and said that theft of electricity is the cause of budget deficit. Than who is stealing electricity, me or you? The common consumer is being looted by the electric supply companies that in spite of no electricity he is paying three times higher bills. Even one day’s delay in payment of electric bills leads to disconnection and the process of reconnection is so corrupt that every consumer prefers to pay bills on time even he has to starve. The real thieves of electricity, tax and national resources are those whose wash rooms remain cool in summer and warm in winter, no one is there to arrest them, law is power less for them and poor public is punished for their luxuries.

The value of rupee is decreasing day by day, in spite of abundance of eatables they are away from the purchasing power of common consumer and this situation has led to adulterated goods. Public is forced to eat these adulterated and unhealthy eatables that are spreading diseases in the society and to cure these public is once again offered adulterated medicine. Because unadulterated medicine are either not available due to the black marketing of the companies or beyond the purchasing power of general public. In this way corruption, bribery, tax evasion, thefts, black marketing, hoardings etc has engulfed the whole society and in near future there are no hopes to get rid from these evils. In such a situation the warning of IMF has no value for elites but is an alarm for public. Because in the history every country who got loans from IMF was doomed to destruction as this international imperialism conditions the loans with high rate of taxes over general public and in spite of being aware of this bitter reality that our corrupt rulers could no adhere from transferring these loans and national reserves to their accounts in foreign banks no l aw has been imposed on the international level to stop this transfer. In this way the loans that are given to the country on profit base are returned back to the banks of the donor country by their sponsored corrupt governments.

Now if IMF forwards the energy crisis and theft of electricity as reason for economic crisis, are we responsible for this? Pakistan has no shortage of natural resources. But on the hands there is corruption and on the other hand our eternal enemy could not tolerate this that Pakistan grows self sufficient. The Indian hand behind lawlessness and growing terrorism in Pakistan is now being pointed out even by western journalists. Due to terrorism external investors are not ready to invest in Pakistan. The big industrial units considered as backbone of economy are closed and other are about to be shutdown, now there is only one business i .e . real estate and housing colonies in which the illegal profits are being invested. India is enjoying this situation because on one hand she had succeeded in haulting the construction of Kala Bagh dam at the cost of 150 millions per year paid as bribe to corrupt factors of society and on the other hand she is busy in completion of projects to stop water of Pakistani rivers. Astonishing factor is that no public protest has been observed against Indian aggressive plans. The reason behind this is our Indian controlled media singing the chorus of Aman Ki Asha to deceive nation about Indian plans of Greater India.

Our corrupt rulers have never taken the crisis of energy seriously, whenever the deals are finalized for production of electricity the kickbacks involved in the deal force public to increased prices and taxes and as a result the energy crisis worsened. In the decade of 90 the Hubco deals or rental power projects of current govt. are the evidence of corruption of our politicians. However during this time nation has been given hopes of Thar coal reserves. It was even said that Thar Coal could generate 50,000 megawatts of electricity annually for 500 years. But nothing has been done practically. Last year Dr Samar Mand Mubarak gave these happy news that the project of under ground gasification going on from last three years had been successful. Now there is the only the funds that are required and than whole country would be glowing with light. Than why govt. is not ready to issue funds? They doubt the project of Dr Samar Mand Mubarak or just like Kala Bagh Dam they are getting paid to delay this project as well?

On the other hand Dr Shahid Munir, Director for Coal Technology of Punjab University has rejected Under Ground Gasification project. He is of the view that this would cost too much and the pollution generated from this project would make it unfeasible. He also claims that from such a costly technology not a single megawatt has been generated in the world. However this is purely a scientific discussion and a scientist could better explain it. However business com from India has broke the news that TATA and BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited) are interested for the purchase of Thar Coal Project and negotiations are going on since 2010. In this regard Arvind Sexena Economic and Commercial Counselor in Indian Embassy Islamabad is playing a vital role along with his ambassador Sharat Sabharwal, he has arranged many meetings between representatives of BHEL, TATA and SEMC (Sindh Engro Coal Mining Co). This should be kept in mind that SECMC is working on feasibility of 1200 megawatt power project of Thar Coal for which it required 30 million dollars.

According to the website with the cooperation of Indian Embassy the higher officials of SECMC had visited India where they held meetings with Tamil Nado and Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation. In this regard the daughter of Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah visited India last year along with 20 members of the delegation, in which Dr Mahe sh Maalani was the front person. The report of business.com is too long but the summary of the report is that officials of BHEL and TATA are satisfied regarding deal of Thar Coal and now they are only waiting for India being declared as Most Favoured Nation.

Some of the readers suffering with the fever of love for India might be angry over this column but this question is valid at its place that our so-called elected representatives who pass every bill of their personal matters within few hours from parliament why they cannot unite to chalk out a national policy for generation of energy from Thar Coal? Why the 18th amendment giving rights of mineral and natural resources to provinces they have not been made bound to respect and consider national stability, so that the sale of national assets like Reko Diq projects or Thar Coal on lower price for kick backs could be avoided. Now when every province of Pakistan is independent to decide about the mineral projects is it necessary to allow enemy like India to invest and hatch conspiracies against motherland within Pakistan? Cannot the provinces of Pakistan in vest mutually to generate 1200 megawatts of energy? When will our corrupt politicians learn that even if India becomes friend she will not adhere to harm Pakistan?
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By Sher Muhammad Khan

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Beware of Indians interest in Thar coal!

One can imagine the true potential of this natural gift from the fact that only one block would produce two billion barrels of diesel. Proper exploitation of these reserves would change fate of the country as it would not only help overcome energy crisis impeding economic development but also save billions of  dollars currently being spent on import of oil. The project should have received priority but unfortunately we are still at the rudimentary stage of exploitation even after over a decade.
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Pakistan is blessed with numerous natural resources; namely gold and copper in Saindak and Riko Diq, natural gas at many places, coal in Thar, salt mines in Punjab, and precious stones in KP etc. However, we have miserably failed to exploit these resources, for the benefit of our people and do not take advantage of such great reservoir of wealth on and under our beloved motherland.

Most of these untapped resources are of great strategic value and must be utilized for the strategic gains to benefit our country in general and the region in particular. Contrary to this conventional wisdom, our successive government have without fail messed up with these strategic assets and there is a long list of grave misconduct in exploring, exploiting and utilizing these resources for the above stated purposes. Instead a number of these resources have been in the past thrown away to benefit individuals or the foreign companies but the state and its people. Riko Diq gold mines, Gwadar Port operations, steel mill cases are just a few examples of mismanagement and lack of transparent mechanisms during award of contracts.

Thar coal reserves are one such strategic asset that Allah Almighty has blessed Pakistan in abundance, and right utilization of these ‘Black Gold’ reserves can change the destiny of Pakistan in general and poor people of that area in particular. However, this would only be possible if coal reserves in Sindh in general and Thar in particular are exploited and utilized properly. Such huge reserves certainly need lot of investment and state of the art technology to avoid wastage of the precious resource.  

Therefore it is of utmost importance that once the contracts for the exploration of coal are awarded, the potential investors have been thoroughly screened and scrutinized in detail. It is essential that such strategic assets do not fall into wrong hands and the award of contract does not get challenged as in case of Riko Diq.

While one would wish the above, rumours are afloat that Indian investors; TATA power and Bharat Heavy Electric Limited (BHEL) are steadily making inroads in the power corridors to gain support for the award to conduct open cast mining of Thar Coal. Reportedly consultations are taking place on multiple fronts, i.e sell Pakistan coal to India for their projects in Gujrat and Tamil Nadu, and development of Thar coal mines by Indo-US Companies. Sources have revealed that a number of visits have taken place by highly influential people in Sindh government through Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) officials to India and the same were reciprocated by TATA and BHEL delegations to make progress to grab Pakistan’s Black Gold reserves. The deal is likely to benefit the two parties in similar manner as was envisaged in Riko Diq case. 

While these rumours are well supported with evidence of behind the scenes consultations on the modalities to gain control of the strategic reserves, Pakistani team of looters and grabbers are busy in finding ways and means to save the deal from being challenged in the Supreme Court fearing a premature exposure to an otherwise extremely secret deal.

It is in this backdrop that the experts are suggesting that Thar coal should be developed indigenously to accrue the maximum benefits out of this blessed strategic resource. 

There is no dearth of technical and administrative expertise to undertake such projects. 

It is earnestly believed that technology and scientific expertise could be made available by retired officers of Pakistan Army Corps of Engineers as well as the Faculty of the Centre for Coal Technology at the University of Punjab. To name a few, Major General (R) Pervez Akmal who is already developing a institutional model for the development of Thar coal and Professor Dr. Shahid Muneer, either individually or as a group may be tasked to provide the technical and scientific consultation for the Black Gold Project; as has been done by Dr. Samar Mubarakmand in case of Riko Diq and Thar Coal Gasification projects.

It is once again highlighted that Government of Sindh must not indulge itself in any such dubious deal to award the strategic contracts to Indian companies under the garb of steady improvement in trade relations and for the want of foreign investment. Such strategic projects must not be handed over to the companies from countries which have a history of enmity and hostility for Pakistan.  

It is hoped that sanity would prevail and Thar Coal would not become another Riko Diq.
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By  Zia Siddiqui

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Thar Coal is future of Pakistan

 One can imagine the true potential of this natural gift from the fact that only one block would produce two billion barrels of diesel. Proper exploitation of these reserves would change fate of the country as it would not only help overcome energy crisis impeding economic development but also save billions of  dollars currently being spent on import of oil. The project should have received priority but unfortunately we are still at the rudimentary stage of exploitation even after over a decade.
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Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who paid a visit to the site of Thar coal project on Thursday, observed that when fully exploited the coal reserves there would bring about a revolutionary change in the country, signalling progress and prosperity. Appreciating the work of Dr Samar Mubarakmand, who he said was not drawing any salary, and his team, Mr Ashraf said that one site alone had the potential of producing two billion barrels of diesel, while other sites also showed promise. Besides, he said that it could generate electricity and produce gas, urea fertilizer and diesel, adding that three companies were already working on the project and once the project started yielding results, investors from different parts of the world would flock to the region. According to one report a sum of Rs 900 million has been secured for the purpose of coal gasification. The Prime Minster also announced a grant of Rs 200 million for the electrification of the surrounding villages.

 However, before dreaming about converting Pakistan into a land of milk and honey through this project and pouring into it the huge investment it calls for, it would be worthwhile assembling a team of world class experts to do a feasibility study, covering technical as well as financial aspects. For, the prevailing opinion at present has never been presented in enough detail as cost and benefit in financial terms, nor have the geographic concerns of experts over the topography of the region been alleviated. Interestingly, Dr Mubarakmand’s has been the lone voice in the country advocating the idea, with Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan bitterly opposing it and other experts sceptical about it turning into a reality.

No doubt, Pakistan’s burgeoning need for electricity stipulates the utilisation of all available resources. But considering the crippling impact of loadshedding on life in general and the countrywide hue and cry it provokes, the revelation of the government’s own top bureaucrat concerned with the subject that it was not serious about overcoming the shortage is greatly upsetting. Secretary Water and Power Zafar Mehmood made no bones about saying before the Public Accounts Committee that the government had neither any specific plan to deal with the crisis, nor was any technology to eliminate or reduce the line losses available in the country. It, indeed, constitutes a most damaging indictment of government’s failing on an issue of utmost importance. Another failing, of equally great proportions, is the neglect of the Kalabagh Dam project, a dam that has been acclaimed arguably the most suitable to build by world authorities. There is, perhaps, no better time and no greater compelling reason than the yawning gap between supply and demand to go ahead with the construction of the dam that would markedly raise the power generation capacity of the country. Thar Coal deserves immediate and serious observation for these reasons, but it seems just as the Secretary Water and Power has observed, that any serious and pragmatic planning is beyond the government, which is an expert at selling nightmares in the shape of dreams.
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 The Nation
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