Pak-Russian cooperation in coal sector to promote ties: Jadoon
By Asad Cheema

ISLAMABAD—Federal Minister for petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon Monday said Pak-Russian cooperation in exploration of coal mining and power generation would further strengthen the relation between the two-country.
He was talking to a four-member Russian experts delegation headed by Chief Executive of Fuel and Energy department of Russian Federation Alexander Barinov who called on him here at his office. He said the government was focusing on exploiting the 185 billion tones coal reserves in the country and planned to generate 20,000 MW coal power by 2030.
In this regard, he said, the government was providing all the required infrastructures to the investors alongwith the fiscal incentives of exemption in taxes for import of machinery, repatriation of profit and purchasing of power from the generation units.
Jadoon said that Russia has the vast expertise in the coal mining and power generation and it would go a long way to benefit from each others experience helping our country for increasing the coal share in the energy mix from 6 to 19 per cent by 2020. Director General (Mineral) Rasheed Hussain Malik on the occasion gave a detailed presentation on the ongoing activities for the development of coal sector. Alexander Barinov the head of the Russian Energy delegation briefed the Minister about the development of coal in his country.
He informed Russia has been endowed with 195 billion tones of coal reserves contributing 60 per cent share in the energy mix. He said Russia would feel pleasure to help Pakistan in coal mining and power generation for the mutual advantage. Secretary Petroleum, Ahmed Waqar and Senior officials were also present during the meeting.
The Russian delegation is visiting Pakistan at the invitation of the government to explore possibilities of cooperation in this vital field of economy. Welcoming the delegation, Jadoon said that government was focusing on exploiting the 185 billion tones coal reserves in the country and planned to generate 20,000 MW coal Power by 2030. He said that Russia has the vast expertise in the coal mining and power generation and it would go a long way to benefit from each others experience helping our country for increasing the coal share in the energy mix from 6 to 19% by 2020.
On the other hand, Alexander Barinov, head of the Russian Energy delegation briefed the Minister about the development of coal in the country. He informed that Russia has been endowed with 185 billion tones of coal reserves contributing 60% share in the energy mix.