Adviser to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Qamar Zaman Kaira has inaugurated the Gulpur Hydropower Project with an average annual generating capacity of 102 megawatts (MW).

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, he said Pakistan offers immense investment opportunities in the power sector.

Hydropower is a lifeline for Pakistan as it offers cheap and clean energy besides contributing immensely to the growth of the economy through job creation and use of local materials, he said.

He expressed his gratitude to Korea South-East Power (KOEN) for delivering the project and hoped that it would keep on investing in Pakistan.

The minister said Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit Baltistan has huge potential in mineral tourism and hydel power, adding that his ministry would extend all possible support to investors.

Commenting on the increasing catastrophic, climate-related events across the world, he said despite its negligible contribution towards global emissions, Pakistan is paying a heavy price for mistakes committed by other countries.

"We have contributed 0.8 % of the carbon footprint, but now we are one of the ten most climate stressed countries on the earth," he added. 

Kaira pointed out the way Pakistan was impacted by global warming. The recent devastating floods affected around 33 million people, damaged crops and collapsed the entire infrastructure, especially in Sindh and Balochistan, he added.

He said developed countries have done the most to cause climate change and should do more to help underdeveloped countries that are being hit the hardest.

He cited the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres’s call for urging the developed countries to come forward and help Pakistan in this catastrophe.

He said the government is making all-out efforts to provide relief to the flood-affected people.

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Chairman Tauseef H. Farooqi said that the Gulpur Hydropower Project was launched to generate cheap electricity and create thousands of jobs for the local community.

The hydropower projects in Azad Jammu and Kashmir have the potential to change the fate of the local community, he added.

He said NEPRA has focussed its entire efforts on green energy including hydropower, solar and wind to reduce greenhouse gases.

Chief Executive Officer of Mirapower Han Seungnam gave a detailed presentation on the project.

Gulpur Hydropower Plant is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric generation project located on the Poonch River, a major tributary of the Jhelum River near Gulpur in Kotli District Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The lenders approved the project financing after accepting Mira Power strategy to ensure net gain in the population of endangered and critically endangered species including Mahaseer fish.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk