The government has moved to fast-track key energy projects in Gwadar and Gilgit-Baltistan as Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level meeting to address chronic water and power shortages. Officials from the power ministry and related departments attended the session, which focused on accelerating critical projects in both regions.
Ahsan Iqbal said reliable electricity is essential for economic development and service delivery, noting that the Prime Minister has prioritised energy initiatives for GB. An accelerated action plan was approved to add 100MW to GB’s power supply by June 2026 through a major distributed solar project costing Rs24 billion.
The minister also reviewed progress on the Rs1.9 billion solarisation of Gwadar’s pumping stations and desalination plants. The project aims to reduce operating costs and improve water infrastructure efficiency, with a return on investment expected within 2.7 years. He urged departments to secure required budget allocations immediately.
Officials informed the committee that Gwadar’s grid stability study has been completed. A ±50 MVAR STATCOM at Pasni and a local generation plant for Gwadar are scheduled for deployment between October and December 2026. Iqbal directed that the STATCOM installation must remain on schedule.
The minister stressed that stable electricity is crucial for ongoing development at Gwadar Port and emphasized coordinated efforts with the Balochistan government and GDA. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving living standards and instructed all departments to meet their timelines and deliverables.
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