Infrastructure Development in Pakistan
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Sulman Badshah
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Please delete it from here and post it in Indian development thread
A Documentary of Cadet College Wana South Waziristan Agency (ISPR) By Indus Film.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
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Edevelop
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Doubling of Railway Track
256 Kilometers Dualization of Railway Track will stretch from Khanewal to Raiwind which is second phase of Dualization of Railway Track awarded to Frontier Works Organization. Frontier Works Organization completed first phase from Lodhran to Khanewal within the given time frame The Dualization of Railway Track will facilitate shifting of people and goods from Khanewal to Raiwind and will also reduce the traffic load.
256 Kilometers Dualization of Railway Track will stretch from Khanewal to Raiwind which is second phase of Dualization of Railway Track awarded to Frontier Works Organization. Frontier Works Organization completed first phase from Lodhran to Khanewal within the given time frame The Dualization of Railway Track will facilitate shifting of people and goods from Khanewal to Raiwind and will also reduce the traffic load.
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Edevelop
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Construction of Road Mirkhani - Arandu (35 KM) in Distt Chitral
Mirkhani Arandu Road starts from Mirkhani on Dir - Lowari Top - Darosh - Chitral road and terminates at Arandu exactly on the Pak Afghan border/ check post. It is a kacha track in hills having river Chitral on its one side. The area is hostile in nature and at last 12 km of rd length is dominated by Afghan peaks. Security sitmerits extra measures. The construction of road will not only side improve the socio-eco condition of the local people but will also help in easy move by our troops/FC deployed in the area. In future it can also act as trade route to Afghanistan. It will also boost the health, education and living condition of the local population.
Mirkhani Arandu Road starts from Mirkhani on Dir - Lowari Top - Darosh - Chitral road and terminates at Arandu exactly on the Pak Afghan border/ check post. It is a kacha track in hills having river Chitral on its one side. The area is hostile in nature and at last 12 km of rd length is dominated by Afghan peaks. Security sitmerits extra measures. The construction of road will not only side improve the socio-eco condition of the local people but will also help in easy move by our troops/FC deployed in the area. In future it can also act as trade route to Afghanistan. It will also boost the health, education and living condition of the local population.
Sulman Badshah
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NEELUM JEHLUM hydro power project
Edevelop
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Tropolis Mixed-use 200 Canal Development, Islamabad
Golra Road / Peshawar Road Interchange
E-11 Mixed Use Commercial and Residential Development, Islamabad
Normal ones but the track speed will be increased from 100 km to 150 km mark.
Golra Road / Peshawar Road Interchange
E-11 Mixed Use Commercial and Residential Development, Islamabad
Normal ones but the track speed will be increased from 100 km to 150 km mark.
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Sulman Badshah
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COAS announces “FATA Youth Package”
RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Monday celebrated Eid with the troops participating in Operation Zarb-e-Azb and announced a comprehensive “FATA Youth Package”.
While visiting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp Bannu, the COAS acknowledged the sacrifices of the people of FATA and praised their devotion, faith and loyalty with Pakistan. “Pakistan Army will work hand in gloves to garner maximum support for relief and early rehabilitation of TDPs, COAS assured.
The COAS said that 14,000 men from FATA will be inducted in the Army in next five years. Immediately, one thousand youth will be inducted in first six months. Free education facilities to 1500 children from FATA will be provided in Army public Schools & Colleges in all cantonments. Seats have also been reserved in Military Cadet Colleges for students from FATA on yearly basis. To enhance technical skills and making them vibrant citizens of Pakistan, FATA youth, especially TDPs, will be provided training at Technical Training Institutes being run by Army in all major cantonments. COAS said that arrangements are being worked for large scale overseas employment of youth from FATA. (SAMAA/APP)
Pak cement witnesses sharp demand from Indian Punjab
LAHORE - The local cement manufacturers, which are still facing non-tariff barriers while exporting cement to India, have reported to witness a sharp demand from the Indian Punjab, causing an increase of around 0.2 million tons in cement export annually to about 0.7 million tons in fiscal year 2014.
Industry sources said that the cement exports to the rival country was continued to drop mainly due to NTBs imposed by the Indian authorities, as the export to India dropped to 0.5 million tons in 2013 after hitting the export of 0.8 million tons in 2008.
They said that better logistic services and comfortable transportation of cement through Wagha border has significantly helped raise the volume of cement exports from Pakistan to India, as major exports to India was made through land route by the cement units located in Punjab and KPK. Pakistan is producing high quality cement and its superiority was also confirmed by tests of accredited Indian labs like Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
But the procedure for obtaining quality assurance certificate is still complicated that should be simplified by the Indian authorities, they suggested.
Around 8 cement plants are exporting cement to India through trucks at price of about $50 per ton. The exporters said that they are expecting further growth in future if the process is further eased. Country’s 98 percent of cement is sent through land route to Indian Punjab cities Amritsar and Ludhiana while the remaining 2 percent is exported through sea due to lower demand in other states of India. “Our cement is cost effective for buyers of Indian Punjab where the total import demand from Pakistan is over 2 million tons. We can easily penetrate in this market with major market share if Non-Tariff Barriers are removed.”
Growing remittances flow touches $1.7b mark at Eidul Azha
Hassan Jawwad
KARACHI - Eidul Azha accelerates the flow of remittances where the total growth touch mark of $1.7 billion compared to $1.4 billion of the previous year said Rizwan Hamdani Country Manager Xpress Money while talking to The Nation.
Rizwan said at the occasion of Eidul Azha, a large number of overseas Pakistanis remit million of dollars to offer sacrifices at their homeland.
Xpress Money took different initiatives to foster the consumers demand and now the addition of door delivery is another milestone for their customers to receive their cash at door step, he added. He appreciated the government who supported the overseas by introducing Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) established in 2009 to achieve the objective of facilitating, supporting, faster, cheaper, convenient and efficient flow of remittances. PRI takes all necessary steps and actions to enhance flow of home remittances in the country through formal channels. PRI is a joint initiative of State Bank of Pakistan, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Ministry of Finance to create an ownership structure in Pakistan for remittance facilitation, he added.
Rizwan said through this facility those overseas Pakistani can get a silver or gold remittance card who send $2000 or $5000 dollar during the year. The holder of this card can renew their passport without paying any charges.
He further informed that it is an easy procedure to get this card from embassy of Pakistan that takes one and half month and a holder of this card get duty free different items according to the value of card and also avail remittance counter for fast proceedings at airport. PRI’s continuous efforts have seen a steady rise in the acceptance of International Money Transfer Organisation’s with the Pakistani community, which has led to the decline in usage of Hundi.
The growth of inward remittances to the country depends on a number of factors such as the political and economic stability of the country, investment opportunities and attractive foreign exchange rates. PRI is continually taking measures and implementing initiatives to promote the overall remittances of Pakistan and I believe the country shall see considerable growth in terms of remittances, over the next few years, he added.
Xpress Money has been in Pakistan for a decade now and in this short span of time has emerged as the leader in the remittance industry. Our key focus now is the Punjab region, which sums up over 60pc of the total remittances received in the country through Xpress Money. Since the year 2009, we have grown 20pc year on year and currently Xpress Money’s share is around 10pc of the organised market, he added.
PIA to construct 12 new training centres 15 new aircraft induction in few months: Azeem
lahore
PIA has planned to build 12 new training centers in six months in all major cities of Pakistan with an overall capacity of approximately 1200 students per year.
This was stated by Special Assistant to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Aviation Shujaat Azeem while inaugurating the Training Center at PIA Complex Lahore airport. Shujaat Azeem said that on advice of Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif PIA has taken this grand initiative for Pakistani youth as part of its corporate social responsibility. It will help our youth to meet the challenges of airline industry. He said that Lahore’s initiative is the first one and second center will be opening in Rawalpindi in mid of October whereas more centers will be opened in Peshawar, Quetta, Nawabshah, Swat, Muzafarabad, Sukkur, Multan, Faisalabad and Hyderabad soon. Shujaat Azeem said that PIA training center is the only training resource in country which has been awarded ANO-147 approval by Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan in line with European standards. He said that we are offering airline industry courses on very competitive and affordable price compared to other local and international training centers.
Commenting on airlines current situation, he said 15 new aircraft on dry lease will be inducted in next few months while three Airbus A-320 aircraft have already been inducted and are in operation. Our utmost efforts to revive the national flag carrier are continuing and in the first six months of current year we have been able to cut losses to over 8 billion or 45% from the corresponding period of year of 2013.
In his concluding remarks, he praised the PIA management and congratulated on the opening of new training center and said that PIA has best human resource in aviation industry and with the help of the employees will turnaround PIA
Kalabagh Dam–Time to decide has arrived
Moonis Elahi
Pakistan is today one of the most water stressed countries in the world and with every passing year the stress is worsening. Surmounting problems that include an extremely high population growth rate, reliance on a single river system, the fast changing global climatic conditions and a national failure to harness 40 MAF (Million Acre Feet) of water annually falling unused in the Arabian Sea are the main contributors to this worsening situation. Unfortunately, despite their enormity these problems have not only gone unresolved by successive governments but also by the nation itself. According to experts, the per capita availability of water in Pakistan, currently placed at 1030 cubic meters will go well below the 1000 cubic meter mark in the next few years unless quick remedial steps are undertaken. The experts are of the unanimous view that unless restoration of the rapidly depleting water table of the once water rich lands of Pakistan is taken up on a war footing and meaningful steps adopted “now” to properly harness and store the water received in its rivers and through rainfall, Pakistan from a water stressed country faces the threat of soon turning into a “Water Scarce” country. The experts, in the event are also warning us of accompanying unthinkable social and environmental disasters. So, what do we need to do? Do we put our heads in the sand and wait for an imminent desertification of our country described by an English poet as a “Not a drop to drink” kind of situation? Or do we as a nation stand up in unison to ward off the lurking threat? I am of the firm belief that our best chance to avert the predicted ominous water crisis is in fighting together against it. The way I look at it, all four provinces and integrating units of Pakistan need to break all biases and shackles and come on the same page to find solutions that will help us save our present and future generations from this most threatening crisis. This may be an uphill task but we can make it happen only if we understand that we are fast running out of time and our history’s biggest threat is soon going to be rapping our front door. In successful democracies such threats whenever encountered, it is their democratic institutions that pave way for plausible solutions. And if we too claim to be a democratic country then what better forum than the Parliament to deliberate upon this most important matter on which the country’s survival depends. Unfortunately, the Pakistani Parliament today is engaged 24/7 in saving an illegal government rather than touching upon graver issues like an impending water crisis. In my opinion, a genuinely representative parliament will never shirk from taking up this alarming issue and given its importance incessantly work out ways to counter it. Such a parliament will extensively deliberate and debate on all aspects of the problem and achieve consensus on the required steps and reach solutions by means of new legislation. A truly representative parliament, I am sure, will also be capable of taking “out of the box decisions” like declaring a “National Water Emergency” through an act of Parliament. But prior to this or any other enactment a public debate involving all the stakeholders including the media will be an utmost requirement. In the wake of such a water emergency the federal and provincial governments will be bound to emergently integrate their resources and assess the ground realities anew to work towards achieving a consensus on the formulation of a new National Water Policy. This policy will not only aim at resolving the present and future water needs of the country but also addressing the impending environmental and regional concerns and misapprehensions. For such a policy to be a reality, the start of a fresh dialogue among provinces on all water issues, controversial or otherwise will be imperative. There will be tense moments and heated arguments between the stake-holders during such a dialogue. Walk-outs, allegations and counter-allegations too will figure in, but if all parties will be in agreement on the survival, integrity and future wellbeing of the whole of Pakistan and not just one region or community then there will always be a fair chance of better sense to prevail and for all of them to eventually come out as winners. One look at the map of Pakistan is enough to tell us that our river system is our biggest integrator with water playing the same role as blood flowing through the veins and binding us all into a unique bond named Pakistan.
Water is vital for life. We need water not only for drinking purposes but to irrigate our lands, run our factories and to keep the ecology in balance. Besides its conventional uses, water has also proven beyond doubt as the single most important means of electricity generation in the last 150 years of human history. Although, over the years other power generation technologies which rely on alternative energy sources have also been developed but by and large hydroelectricity beats them all in terms of cost and benefits. Today, countries like China, USA and India have achieved their current enviable progress by building thousands of dams on their river systems. Their economies now rely heavily on the cheap electricity obtained from these dams to supply uninterrupted power to homes, workplaces, farms and factories. Besides power generation they also use these dams’ large water reservoirs for supplying drinking water to their growing populations, for maintenance of their ground water table, preservation of their environment and last but not the least to irrigate their vast agricultural lands.
Contrarily, Pakistan has been following a different course particularly in the domain of electricity generation since long that has proven nothing less than suicidal. We have not constructed a single water dam since the 60’s and instead of capitalising on our water resources in the previous years, through sound planning to meet our present and future power needs, we have since the 90’s unfortunately become hugely reliant on thermal power. This paradigm shift might have provided a temporary ego boost to the myopic policy makers of the early 90’s, but has proven to be a key factor in Pakistan’s on-going economic, social, political and environmental problems ever since. Undeniably, the main cause of the rampant load shedding in Pakistan is also this very unnatural reliance on a highly expensive thermal power. On the other hand, Pakistan even today has enough water for storage in order to generate highly cheap and abundant electricity for its entire population, yet the people of Pakistan are forced to pay through their teeth huge furnace oil import bills and also put up with the shenanigans of the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) mafia and that too to just get a few hours of daily electricity. Pakistan has spent nothing less than $ 12 Billion in the last financial year on the purchase of imported furnace oil to keep the thermal power plants running, yet there is no relief in sight from the 14- 18 hours of daily power outages in the country.
Ironically, while we are ready to spend billions of dollars on generating expensive thermal electricity, we seem to be unperturbed by the 40 Million Acre Feet of water going waste in the ocean. According to experts this 40 MAF of precious water if stored and used for power generation is capable of producing 50000 MW of electricity, almost 3 times more than our current power requirements as well as our present installed power generation capacity. The other acknowledged fact being that water is the cheapest source of electricity generation and if used to its full potential, besides an annual national savings of a minimum of Rs. 220 billion, as domestic consumers we shall be paying no more than Rs 2. 50 per unit of electricity. Translated into the common man’s arithmetic, the electricity bills will be 6 times less than what we are being forced to pay now. With this happening the prices of every commodity and service will also come done appreciably bringing Pakistan back into business.
Tragically, Pakistan since inception despite the richness of its indigenous resources has been made to heavily rely on foreign financial loans. Successive governments have portrayed such borrowings as their economic and diplomatic achievements. Instead, if these governments had worked on a visionary plan to bring the available water into good use and sincerely attempted to remove misplaced apprehensions surrounding its preservation and channelization, I have no doubt that Pakistan would not have required such loans and we could have become a prosperous nation with the capacity to lend others. Today, every Pakistani newborn arrives in the world with a huge debt burden, thanks to the short sightedness of Pakistani decision makers of the past and worst still the present. Look at the N League government, drumbeating its so called success in obtaining IMF loans at an unprecedently huge mark-up. Only God knows how many future generations will it take to pay off this debt? It is these horrendous policies of such incompetent and visionless governments that have impeded our progress and denied us our right to a better life all along.
Today, along with a strong opposition to the incompetent rulers and their disastrous policies the Pakistani nation also needs more than ever before to demonstrate a strong collective will for harnessing our national resources for common good. This should enable us to make optimal use of our available water resources for overcoming our deep rooted economic ills. Water for irrigating farms, to combat with hunger and to generate power are the best and the cheapest ways to achieve this end. For this, we also need to think above and beyond the misconceptions that have been presented to us as facts and which are primarily responsible for our present sorry state of affairs.
Take the case of Kalabagh Dam for instance. Kalabagh Dam project has the potential of generating 3600 MW electricity at a cost of Rs 2. 50 per unit to the consumers with an annual national savings of a minimum of Rs 220 billion. The Kalabagh Dam reservoir with a water storage capacity of 6. 1 MAF has the potential of providing an additional 4 MAF to Sindh, 2. 2 MAF to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2 MAF to Punjab and 1. 5 MAF to Balochistan. This additional water supply can not only irrigate millions of acres of presently barren lands but also go a long way in helping the country in its war against the twin afflictions of food shortage and food inflation. The construction of Kalabagh Dam can help reduce poverty and hunger in the country and bring us closer to the realisation of a strong and prosperous Pakistan. The construction cost of Kalabagh Dam is placed at $ 9 billion today which is less than the $9. 5 billion loss Pakistan had to incur during the 2010 floods in Pakistan. And when the wounds of 2010 Floods had still not healed we had to face even harsher floods this year causing an even heavier loss than in 2010. Theses massive disasters could have been averted to a great extent had the Kalabagh Dam reservoir been present.
So, despite these advantages, why are we after 4 decades of arguments and counter arguments unable to construct Kalabagh Dam? Why have the apprehensions of provinces against its construction not been addressed thus far? Why despite so many threatening problems including an excruciating power load shedding, dwindling water resources, disastrous floods and a poor economy, the topic of Kalabagh Dam despite its relevance has always been pushed under the carpet? Putting these questions aside for the moment, let’s further ask ourselves if Kalabagh Dam was constructed could the electricity cost in Pakistan be more or less than today? Could Pakistan be saved from the devastating effects of floods or not? And lastly could Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa receive more water for irrigation purposes than their present share? The answer to all these questions in the light of the above-mentioned facts is “Yes”. The timely construction of Kalabagh Dam in the past could certainly have saved us from all or most of our present mega problems. History is replete with examples where a nation did not see the real problem eye to eye in the beginning but eventually in the best national interest overcame it with time, bitter experiences and a better sense.
What we have to bear in mind is that Kalabagh Dam once constructed will be three times larger than Mangla and compared to Rs 16. 50 cost per unit of thermal electricity, the electricity cost per unit of Kalabagh Dam as mentioned earlier will be a mere Rs 2. 50 to the consumers. With its large water reservoir the irrigation needs of all four provinces will be reasonably met. As opposed to misperceptions, Kalabagh Dam will also play a very important role in the prevention of floods and in averting their devastation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Central and South Punjab and in Sindh. But as I said earlier, it is for the nation to decide what is best for it today and in future.
Pakistanis love their country and yet some of them have been made to doubt Kalabagh Dam’s efficacy. The truth is that Kalabagh Dam is not a threat to Pakistan but to its enemies who know that once constructed it will bring us out of the darkness of poverty and backwardness and will make us strong and powerful. I would request my fellow Pakistanis to think through the enemy’s game and decide for themselves whether they are to keep reeling under load shedding, poverty and hunger, which best serves the enemy’s agenda, or are they to put biases and apprehensions aside and re-discuss the construction of Kalabagh Dam in the wake of the present and future critical water scenario. Let us not forget that in the last 40 years we have not built a single dam while India has constructed thousands including many on our waters. Let us also not forget that we are being prevented from building one Kalabagh Dam while India is continuing to encroach upon our Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers by making scores of illegal river run dams on them. We should have built Kalabagh Dam by 1992 and it is now 2014 and even after 22 years we are still debating whether we should or should not construct Kalabagh Dam. It is now time to shake off this indecision and decide whether we want our coming generations to blame us for the delay in building a water project that could have saved them from poverty, hunger and destitute or to acknowledge and remember us for its timely construction ? Here, I must add that other hydro projects like Dasu and Bhasha dams are equally important but we must bear in mind that Kalabagh Dam is the only project which can be raised in the shortest possible time (6 Years) and with least resources. While Dassu Dam will take twelve years in completion and Bhasha Dam hitting the snags once again, it is only Kalabagh Dam that can on a fast track basis help us out of our prevailing and future water related crises. The choice is ours. The need of the hour is to earnestly start a dialogue among provinces aimed at building Kalabagh Dam and to work out ways as to how we can do away with misconceptions surrounding it. We should remember that we cannot afford to wait any longer than we already have. The time to decide has arrived.
LAHORE: Recently-opened Grand Jamia Mosque in Bahria Town, now Pakistan's third largest mosque after Faisal Mosque in Islamabad and Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. It's claimed to be the world's 7th largest mosque by Bahria Town, which is yet to be verified independently
RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif on Monday celebrated Eid with the troops participating in Operation Zarb-e-Azb and announced a comprehensive “FATA Youth Package”.
While visiting Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp Bannu, the COAS acknowledged the sacrifices of the people of FATA and praised their devotion, faith and loyalty with Pakistan. “Pakistan Army will work hand in gloves to garner maximum support for relief and early rehabilitation of TDPs, COAS assured.
The COAS said that 14,000 men from FATA will be inducted in the Army in next five years. Immediately, one thousand youth will be inducted in first six months. Free education facilities to 1500 children from FATA will be provided in Army public Schools & Colleges in all cantonments. Seats have also been reserved in Military Cadet Colleges for students from FATA on yearly basis. To enhance technical skills and making them vibrant citizens of Pakistan, FATA youth, especially TDPs, will be provided training at Technical Training Institutes being run by Army in all major cantonments. COAS said that arrangements are being worked for large scale overseas employment of youth from FATA. (SAMAA/APP)
Pak cement witnesses sharp demand from Indian Punjab
LAHORE - The local cement manufacturers, which are still facing non-tariff barriers while exporting cement to India, have reported to witness a sharp demand from the Indian Punjab, causing an increase of around 0.2 million tons in cement export annually to about 0.7 million tons in fiscal year 2014.
Industry sources said that the cement exports to the rival country was continued to drop mainly due to NTBs imposed by the Indian authorities, as the export to India dropped to 0.5 million tons in 2013 after hitting the export of 0.8 million tons in 2008.
They said that better logistic services and comfortable transportation of cement through Wagha border has significantly helped raise the volume of cement exports from Pakistan to India, as major exports to India was made through land route by the cement units located in Punjab and KPK. Pakistan is producing high quality cement and its superiority was also confirmed by tests of accredited Indian labs like Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
But the procedure for obtaining quality assurance certificate is still complicated that should be simplified by the Indian authorities, they suggested.
Around 8 cement plants are exporting cement to India through trucks at price of about $50 per ton. The exporters said that they are expecting further growth in future if the process is further eased. Country’s 98 percent of cement is sent through land route to Indian Punjab cities Amritsar and Ludhiana while the remaining 2 percent is exported through sea due to lower demand in other states of India. “Our cement is cost effective for buyers of Indian Punjab where the total import demand from Pakistan is over 2 million tons. We can easily penetrate in this market with major market share if Non-Tariff Barriers are removed.”
Growing remittances flow touches $1.7b mark at Eidul Azha
Hassan Jawwad
KARACHI - Eidul Azha accelerates the flow of remittances where the total growth touch mark of $1.7 billion compared to $1.4 billion of the previous year said Rizwan Hamdani Country Manager Xpress Money while talking to The Nation.
Rizwan said at the occasion of Eidul Azha, a large number of overseas Pakistanis remit million of dollars to offer sacrifices at their homeland.
Xpress Money took different initiatives to foster the consumers demand and now the addition of door delivery is another milestone for their customers to receive their cash at door step, he added. He appreciated the government who supported the overseas by introducing Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) established in 2009 to achieve the objective of facilitating, supporting, faster, cheaper, convenient and efficient flow of remittances. PRI takes all necessary steps and actions to enhance flow of home remittances in the country through formal channels. PRI is a joint initiative of State Bank of Pakistan, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Ministry of Finance to create an ownership structure in Pakistan for remittance facilitation, he added.
Rizwan said through this facility those overseas Pakistani can get a silver or gold remittance card who send $2000 or $5000 dollar during the year. The holder of this card can renew their passport without paying any charges.
He further informed that it is an easy procedure to get this card from embassy of Pakistan that takes one and half month and a holder of this card get duty free different items according to the value of card and also avail remittance counter for fast proceedings at airport. PRI’s continuous efforts have seen a steady rise in the acceptance of International Money Transfer Organisation’s with the Pakistani community, which has led to the decline in usage of Hundi.
The growth of inward remittances to the country depends on a number of factors such as the political and economic stability of the country, investment opportunities and attractive foreign exchange rates. PRI is continually taking measures and implementing initiatives to promote the overall remittances of Pakistan and I believe the country shall see considerable growth in terms of remittances, over the next few years, he added.
Xpress Money has been in Pakistan for a decade now and in this short span of time has emerged as the leader in the remittance industry. Our key focus now is the Punjab region, which sums up over 60pc of the total remittances received in the country through Xpress Money. Since the year 2009, we have grown 20pc year on year and currently Xpress Money’s share is around 10pc of the organised market, he added.
PIA to construct 12 new training centres 15 new aircraft induction in few months: Azeem
lahore
PIA has planned to build 12 new training centers in six months in all major cities of Pakistan with an overall capacity of approximately 1200 students per year.
This was stated by Special Assistant to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Aviation Shujaat Azeem while inaugurating the Training Center at PIA Complex Lahore airport. Shujaat Azeem said that on advice of Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif PIA has taken this grand initiative for Pakistani youth as part of its corporate social responsibility. It will help our youth to meet the challenges of airline industry. He said that Lahore’s initiative is the first one and second center will be opening in Rawalpindi in mid of October whereas more centers will be opened in Peshawar, Quetta, Nawabshah, Swat, Muzafarabad, Sukkur, Multan, Faisalabad and Hyderabad soon. Shujaat Azeem said that PIA training center is the only training resource in country which has been awarded ANO-147 approval by Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan in line with European standards. He said that we are offering airline industry courses on very competitive and affordable price compared to other local and international training centers.
Commenting on airlines current situation, he said 15 new aircraft on dry lease will be inducted in next few months while three Airbus A-320 aircraft have already been inducted and are in operation. Our utmost efforts to revive the national flag carrier are continuing and in the first six months of current year we have been able to cut losses to over 8 billion or 45% from the corresponding period of year of 2013.
In his concluding remarks, he praised the PIA management and congratulated on the opening of new training center and said that PIA has best human resource in aviation industry and with the help of the employees will turnaround PIA
Kalabagh Dam–Time to decide has arrived
Moonis Elahi
Pakistan is today one of the most water stressed countries in the world and with every passing year the stress is worsening. Surmounting problems that include an extremely high population growth rate, reliance on a single river system, the fast changing global climatic conditions and a national failure to harness 40 MAF (Million Acre Feet) of water annually falling unused in the Arabian Sea are the main contributors to this worsening situation. Unfortunately, despite their enormity these problems have not only gone unresolved by successive governments but also by the nation itself. According to experts, the per capita availability of water in Pakistan, currently placed at 1030 cubic meters will go well below the 1000 cubic meter mark in the next few years unless quick remedial steps are undertaken. The experts are of the unanimous view that unless restoration of the rapidly depleting water table of the once water rich lands of Pakistan is taken up on a war footing and meaningful steps adopted “now” to properly harness and store the water received in its rivers and through rainfall, Pakistan from a water stressed country faces the threat of soon turning into a “Water Scarce” country. The experts, in the event are also warning us of accompanying unthinkable social and environmental disasters. So, what do we need to do? Do we put our heads in the sand and wait for an imminent desertification of our country described by an English poet as a “Not a drop to drink” kind of situation? Or do we as a nation stand up in unison to ward off the lurking threat? I am of the firm belief that our best chance to avert the predicted ominous water crisis is in fighting together against it. The way I look at it, all four provinces and integrating units of Pakistan need to break all biases and shackles and come on the same page to find solutions that will help us save our present and future generations from this most threatening crisis. This may be an uphill task but we can make it happen only if we understand that we are fast running out of time and our history’s biggest threat is soon going to be rapping our front door. In successful democracies such threats whenever encountered, it is their democratic institutions that pave way for plausible solutions. And if we too claim to be a democratic country then what better forum than the Parliament to deliberate upon this most important matter on which the country’s survival depends. Unfortunately, the Pakistani Parliament today is engaged 24/7 in saving an illegal government rather than touching upon graver issues like an impending water crisis. In my opinion, a genuinely representative parliament will never shirk from taking up this alarming issue and given its importance incessantly work out ways to counter it. Such a parliament will extensively deliberate and debate on all aspects of the problem and achieve consensus on the required steps and reach solutions by means of new legislation. A truly representative parliament, I am sure, will also be capable of taking “out of the box decisions” like declaring a “National Water Emergency” through an act of Parliament. But prior to this or any other enactment a public debate involving all the stakeholders including the media will be an utmost requirement. In the wake of such a water emergency the federal and provincial governments will be bound to emergently integrate their resources and assess the ground realities anew to work towards achieving a consensus on the formulation of a new National Water Policy. This policy will not only aim at resolving the present and future water needs of the country but also addressing the impending environmental and regional concerns and misapprehensions. For such a policy to be a reality, the start of a fresh dialogue among provinces on all water issues, controversial or otherwise will be imperative. There will be tense moments and heated arguments between the stake-holders during such a dialogue. Walk-outs, allegations and counter-allegations too will figure in, but if all parties will be in agreement on the survival, integrity and future wellbeing of the whole of Pakistan and not just one region or community then there will always be a fair chance of better sense to prevail and for all of them to eventually come out as winners. One look at the map of Pakistan is enough to tell us that our river system is our biggest integrator with water playing the same role as blood flowing through the veins and binding us all into a unique bond named Pakistan.
Water is vital for life. We need water not only for drinking purposes but to irrigate our lands, run our factories and to keep the ecology in balance. Besides its conventional uses, water has also proven beyond doubt as the single most important means of electricity generation in the last 150 years of human history. Although, over the years other power generation technologies which rely on alternative energy sources have also been developed but by and large hydroelectricity beats them all in terms of cost and benefits. Today, countries like China, USA and India have achieved their current enviable progress by building thousands of dams on their river systems. Their economies now rely heavily on the cheap electricity obtained from these dams to supply uninterrupted power to homes, workplaces, farms and factories. Besides power generation they also use these dams’ large water reservoirs for supplying drinking water to their growing populations, for maintenance of their ground water table, preservation of their environment and last but not the least to irrigate their vast agricultural lands.
Contrarily, Pakistan has been following a different course particularly in the domain of electricity generation since long that has proven nothing less than suicidal. We have not constructed a single water dam since the 60’s and instead of capitalising on our water resources in the previous years, through sound planning to meet our present and future power needs, we have since the 90’s unfortunately become hugely reliant on thermal power. This paradigm shift might have provided a temporary ego boost to the myopic policy makers of the early 90’s, but has proven to be a key factor in Pakistan’s on-going economic, social, political and environmental problems ever since. Undeniably, the main cause of the rampant load shedding in Pakistan is also this very unnatural reliance on a highly expensive thermal power. On the other hand, Pakistan even today has enough water for storage in order to generate highly cheap and abundant electricity for its entire population, yet the people of Pakistan are forced to pay through their teeth huge furnace oil import bills and also put up with the shenanigans of the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) mafia and that too to just get a few hours of daily electricity. Pakistan has spent nothing less than $ 12 Billion in the last financial year on the purchase of imported furnace oil to keep the thermal power plants running, yet there is no relief in sight from the 14- 18 hours of daily power outages in the country.
Ironically, while we are ready to spend billions of dollars on generating expensive thermal electricity, we seem to be unperturbed by the 40 Million Acre Feet of water going waste in the ocean. According to experts this 40 MAF of precious water if stored and used for power generation is capable of producing 50000 MW of electricity, almost 3 times more than our current power requirements as well as our present installed power generation capacity. The other acknowledged fact being that water is the cheapest source of electricity generation and if used to its full potential, besides an annual national savings of a minimum of Rs. 220 billion, as domestic consumers we shall be paying no more than Rs 2. 50 per unit of electricity. Translated into the common man’s arithmetic, the electricity bills will be 6 times less than what we are being forced to pay now. With this happening the prices of every commodity and service will also come done appreciably bringing Pakistan back into business.
Tragically, Pakistan since inception despite the richness of its indigenous resources has been made to heavily rely on foreign financial loans. Successive governments have portrayed such borrowings as their economic and diplomatic achievements. Instead, if these governments had worked on a visionary plan to bring the available water into good use and sincerely attempted to remove misplaced apprehensions surrounding its preservation and channelization, I have no doubt that Pakistan would not have required such loans and we could have become a prosperous nation with the capacity to lend others. Today, every Pakistani newborn arrives in the world with a huge debt burden, thanks to the short sightedness of Pakistani decision makers of the past and worst still the present. Look at the N League government, drumbeating its so called success in obtaining IMF loans at an unprecedently huge mark-up. Only God knows how many future generations will it take to pay off this debt? It is these horrendous policies of such incompetent and visionless governments that have impeded our progress and denied us our right to a better life all along.
Today, along with a strong opposition to the incompetent rulers and their disastrous policies the Pakistani nation also needs more than ever before to demonstrate a strong collective will for harnessing our national resources for common good. This should enable us to make optimal use of our available water resources for overcoming our deep rooted economic ills. Water for irrigating farms, to combat with hunger and to generate power are the best and the cheapest ways to achieve this end. For this, we also need to think above and beyond the misconceptions that have been presented to us as facts and which are primarily responsible for our present sorry state of affairs.
Take the case of Kalabagh Dam for instance. Kalabagh Dam project has the potential of generating 3600 MW electricity at a cost of Rs 2. 50 per unit to the consumers with an annual national savings of a minimum of Rs 220 billion. The Kalabagh Dam reservoir with a water storage capacity of 6. 1 MAF has the potential of providing an additional 4 MAF to Sindh, 2. 2 MAF to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2 MAF to Punjab and 1. 5 MAF to Balochistan. This additional water supply can not only irrigate millions of acres of presently barren lands but also go a long way in helping the country in its war against the twin afflictions of food shortage and food inflation. The construction of Kalabagh Dam can help reduce poverty and hunger in the country and bring us closer to the realisation of a strong and prosperous Pakistan. The construction cost of Kalabagh Dam is placed at $ 9 billion today which is less than the $9. 5 billion loss Pakistan had to incur during the 2010 floods in Pakistan. And when the wounds of 2010 Floods had still not healed we had to face even harsher floods this year causing an even heavier loss than in 2010. Theses massive disasters could have been averted to a great extent had the Kalabagh Dam reservoir been present.
So, despite these advantages, why are we after 4 decades of arguments and counter arguments unable to construct Kalabagh Dam? Why have the apprehensions of provinces against its construction not been addressed thus far? Why despite so many threatening problems including an excruciating power load shedding, dwindling water resources, disastrous floods and a poor economy, the topic of Kalabagh Dam despite its relevance has always been pushed under the carpet? Putting these questions aside for the moment, let’s further ask ourselves if Kalabagh Dam was constructed could the electricity cost in Pakistan be more or less than today? Could Pakistan be saved from the devastating effects of floods or not? And lastly could Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa receive more water for irrigation purposes than their present share? The answer to all these questions in the light of the above-mentioned facts is “Yes”. The timely construction of Kalabagh Dam in the past could certainly have saved us from all or most of our present mega problems. History is replete with examples where a nation did not see the real problem eye to eye in the beginning but eventually in the best national interest overcame it with time, bitter experiences and a better sense.
What we have to bear in mind is that Kalabagh Dam once constructed will be three times larger than Mangla and compared to Rs 16. 50 cost per unit of thermal electricity, the electricity cost per unit of Kalabagh Dam as mentioned earlier will be a mere Rs 2. 50 to the consumers. With its large water reservoir the irrigation needs of all four provinces will be reasonably met. As opposed to misperceptions, Kalabagh Dam will also play a very important role in the prevention of floods and in averting their devastation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Central and South Punjab and in Sindh. But as I said earlier, it is for the nation to decide what is best for it today and in future.
Pakistanis love their country and yet some of them have been made to doubt Kalabagh Dam’s efficacy. The truth is that Kalabagh Dam is not a threat to Pakistan but to its enemies who know that once constructed it will bring us out of the darkness of poverty and backwardness and will make us strong and powerful. I would request my fellow Pakistanis to think through the enemy’s game and decide for themselves whether they are to keep reeling under load shedding, poverty and hunger, which best serves the enemy’s agenda, or are they to put biases and apprehensions aside and re-discuss the construction of Kalabagh Dam in the wake of the present and future critical water scenario. Let us not forget that in the last 40 years we have not built a single dam while India has constructed thousands including many on our waters. Let us also not forget that we are being prevented from building one Kalabagh Dam while India is continuing to encroach upon our Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers by making scores of illegal river run dams on them. We should have built Kalabagh Dam by 1992 and it is now 2014 and even after 22 years we are still debating whether we should or should not construct Kalabagh Dam. It is now time to shake off this indecision and decide whether we want our coming generations to blame us for the delay in building a water project that could have saved them from poverty, hunger and destitute or to acknowledge and remember us for its timely construction ? Here, I must add that other hydro projects like Dasu and Bhasha dams are equally important but we must bear in mind that Kalabagh Dam is the only project which can be raised in the shortest possible time (6 Years) and with least resources. While Dassu Dam will take twelve years in completion and Bhasha Dam hitting the snags once again, it is only Kalabagh Dam that can on a fast track basis help us out of our prevailing and future water related crises. The choice is ours. The need of the hour is to earnestly start a dialogue among provinces aimed at building Kalabagh Dam and to work out ways as to how we can do away with misconceptions surrounding it. We should remember that we cannot afford to wait any longer than we already have. The time to decide has arrived.
LAHORE: Recently-opened Grand Jamia Mosque in Bahria Town, now Pakistan's third largest mosque after Faisal Mosque in Islamabad and Badshahi Mosque in Lahore. It's claimed to be the world's 7th largest mosque by Bahria Town, which is yet to be verified independently
Sulman Badshah
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FATA & KPK: Under-Construction Gomal Zam Dam Irrigation Component: The main objective of the project is to provide sustainable irrigation water supply to 163,100 acres of agricultural land so as to increase agricultural production and uplift the socioeconomic condition of the inhabitants. Upon completion, this project will satisfy 70% of agricultural requirements of Dera Ismail Khan, KPK and surrounding areas
KPK: Under-construction Gomal Bridge on the road between D.I. Khan, KPK and Wana, South Waziristan Agency, FATA. The Bridge is being built to withstand high water levels in the river underneath and is being contructed by the Pakistan Army's Frontier Works Organization (FWO) KPK: Site of the under-construction Gomal Bridge on the D.I. Khan-Wana
Just how 'Fit for Purpose' are the Metrobus projects?
Pakistani tax payers should rightly ask why they are paying more than Rs 30 billion over international prices for an undersized transport system.
As an engineer associated with design and delivery of large infrastructure projects in the Middle East, including a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) - or what in Pakistan is called Metrobus, I am used to the term “Fitness for Purpose” to describe whether the actual use of an engineered project fulfills the purpose for which it was built.
This term also addresses whether or not the project cost is in line with acceptable benchmarks and highlights under-designed and over-designed projects.
Also read: Islamabad Metro bus project cost may escalate to Rs50bn
During a recent trip to Pindi, I was asked if the Lahore and Rawalpindi Metrobus projects were Fit for Purpose?
To assess the project efficacy, we need to compare the Metrobus’s ridership with overall vehicular trips in Lahore.
With over 350,000 cars and 850,000 motorcycles on the roads of Lahore, congestion, pollution and safety are key issues, the stated purpose of the Metrobus project is to increase the share of public transport in Lahore, and accordingly provide safe, reliable transport.
For a city of approximately 7 million population as per the urban transport forum, based on surveys in Lahore, there were approximately 5.3 million trips/day vehicular trips – excluding walking and cycling (at 0.75 trips/person – this incidentally is half as compared to other cities in Asia).
A successfully designed public transport program should aim for at least 20 per cent ridership, whilst the actual daily ridership for the Lahore Metrobus is 180,000 trips/day or 3.3 per cent of the overall, the impact is therefore insufficient in reducing congestion in the city, expect perhaps on that corridor.
The most successful BRT project in the world is the TransMilenio in Bogota Columbia, which has a ridership of 2.2million/day and peak time capacity of over 37,700 trips/direction/hour. In Asia, the Guangzhou BRT has a ridership of 1 million trips/day with a peak capacity of 27,000 trips/direction/hour.
In both these projects, the buses run in separate corridors, mainly at grade without elevated sections. Based on my knowledge of designing similar infrastructure, in its current design format, the Lahore or Pindi metro may not achieve such capacities due to:
• No overtaking provisions at stations eliminating the possibility to use multiple services on the same route, limiting the number of buses per direction.
• Bus stops are not big enough to accommodate several buses within the same stop. Limiting the number of buses that can simultaneously run on the same line.
• Insufficient investment in the bus fleet.
• Insufficient city-wide coverage to attract passengers, it is not a network but only one line, it would have been better to have built a lower cost, but a wider network with more lines and reach across the city.
• No provision of a feeder bus system to ferry passengers not living near the route.
• No linkages with the city’s other mode of transport – bus, rail, air.
• No provisions for transfer stations linking with future lines, as some stations are elevated, building these connections now would be challenging.
• The Metrobus should be an integral part of the overall city transport network and should inform the future development of the city, future public transport corridors should be part of the master plan for all new developments, including DHA, etc.
According to the American Public Transport Association BRT infrastructure should cost US $2-18 million/km, the Lahore Metrobus’ infrastructure capital cost is more expensive as compared to international benchmarks. As per published figures, the infrastructure costs in US$ per kilometer (all costs escalated to 2014) for BRT for various cities are:
Given lower labour costs in Pakistan and averaging the above figures, a fair estimate for infrastructure costs should be approximately $5-7m/km.
Therefore, at $11m/km, the Lahore Metrobus cost wise is substantially higher than the benchmark.
Although there is no evidence of corruption or any wrong doing, it is the expensive design and accelerated delivery that may have led to the price escalation.
Also read: Metro Bus Project eats away Women Park
Once major projects are completed, a “lessons learnt” exercise is normally held so that future projects learn from and improve upon the previous one. The lessons learnt exercise should have included why earlier bus services such as the Lahore Volvo bus and the Pindi Varan bus are no longer running; was it due to a non-sustainable business model, high fuel costs, lack of spare parts and replacement of the fleet, poor governance or road congestion?
Unfortunately, this was not done and the newly started Rs 50 billion Pindi Metrobus project, seems to repeat the same mistakes as the earlier Lahore one.
Also read: Doubts cloud Islamabad section as Metro Bus launched in Rawalpindi
It is not clear how the Pindi Metrobus strategically fits in the overall transport master plan, whether this project is for commuters to Islamabad; or for residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad? Globally 80 per cent of commuters use trains (both over ground and underground) as the preferred means of travel (trains regularly reach speeds of 100 kph and carry up to 800 passengers per train, unlike buses that travel at 25 kph and carry 100 passengers).
At current growth rates by 2035 Pindi-Islamabad will have a combined population of approximately five million, given that most of whom will not be able to afford living in Islamabad, and that the extended city would stretch from Hasanabdal, Fatehjang to Mandra, the transportation master plan should take cognizance of that in its design intent.
If we look at costs, as stated previously the cost of the Pindi Metrobus should not be approximately $6m/Km as compared to the actual estimated cost is Rs 50 billionn for 24.5 km or $20 million/km.
Based on surveys approximately. 200,000 vehicles/day travel from Pindi to Islamabad or 550,000 (persons) trips take place daily between the two cities, if we assume a 50 per cent capture for public transport then, today, the designed capacity of the Metrobus should be at least 300,000 trips/day as opposed to the current stated capacity of 150,000.
If we project this volume 10 years hence, it will underline that the Metrobus is significantly undersized and should be able to reach a capacity of approx. 500,000 trips/day.
Also read: Metrobus: mobility and sensibility
The Metrobus is an excellent idea and the Punjab government should be appreciated for its effort in initiating and implementing this project in a record time, but unfortunately it is also a symptom of a failing system whereby there is no independent regulatory authority to challenge the provincial government’s project intent, and safeguard public interest.
More time should have been given to studies (including environmental), planning and design rather than hurried implementation. The tax payers of this country should rightfully ask,
Why are they paying more than Rs 30 billion over international prices for an undersized transport system?
It may be still not be too late for the government to reassess the project and carry out a value engineering exercise to ruthlessly cut costs and maximise value for money, at the same time modify the design to maximise the systems passenger carrying capacity. It should also evaluate how this fits in the overall city master plan, assess actual current and future demands versus existing capacity in the proposed system.
In my opinion, the public hearing process should be strengthened, where in the hearings the business model is explained, to appreciate what additional investment would be needed to fund and operate the vehicle fleet, what is the correct ticket price and how an independent accountable management structure is in place to sustain this investment.
The regulatory system needs to be strengthened so that government entities are not allowed to brow beat regulators into hurriedly approving projects, Pakistan is a poor country and deserves affordable, properly designed, infrastructure that is “Fit for Purpose”.
KPK: Under-construction Gomal Bridge on the road between D.I. Khan, KPK and Wana, South Waziristan Agency, FATA. The Bridge is being built to withstand high water levels in the river underneath and is being contructed by the Pakistan Army's Frontier Works Organization (FWO) KPK: Site of the under-construction Gomal Bridge on the D.I. Khan-Wana
Just how 'Fit for Purpose' are the Metrobus projects?
Pakistani tax payers should rightly ask why they are paying more than Rs 30 billion over international prices for an undersized transport system.
As an engineer associated with design and delivery of large infrastructure projects in the Middle East, including a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) - or what in Pakistan is called Metrobus, I am used to the term “Fitness for Purpose” to describe whether the actual use of an engineered project fulfills the purpose for which it was built.
This term also addresses whether or not the project cost is in line with acceptable benchmarks and highlights under-designed and over-designed projects.
Also read: Islamabad Metro bus project cost may escalate to Rs50bn
During a recent trip to Pindi, I was asked if the Lahore and Rawalpindi Metrobus projects were Fit for Purpose?
To assess the project efficacy, we need to compare the Metrobus’s ridership with overall vehicular trips in Lahore.
With over 350,000 cars and 850,000 motorcycles on the roads of Lahore, congestion, pollution and safety are key issues, the stated purpose of the Metrobus project is to increase the share of public transport in Lahore, and accordingly provide safe, reliable transport.
For a city of approximately 7 million population as per the urban transport forum, based on surveys in Lahore, there were approximately 5.3 million trips/day vehicular trips – excluding walking and cycling (at 0.75 trips/person – this incidentally is half as compared to other cities in Asia).
A successfully designed public transport program should aim for at least 20 per cent ridership, whilst the actual daily ridership for the Lahore Metrobus is 180,000 trips/day or 3.3 per cent of the overall, the impact is therefore insufficient in reducing congestion in the city, expect perhaps on that corridor.
The most successful BRT project in the world is the TransMilenio in Bogota Columbia, which has a ridership of 2.2million/day and peak time capacity of over 37,700 trips/direction/hour. In Asia, the Guangzhou BRT has a ridership of 1 million trips/day with a peak capacity of 27,000 trips/direction/hour.
In both these projects, the buses run in separate corridors, mainly at grade without elevated sections. Based on my knowledge of designing similar infrastructure, in its current design format, the Lahore or Pindi metro may not achieve such capacities due to:
• No overtaking provisions at stations eliminating the possibility to use multiple services on the same route, limiting the number of buses per direction.
• Bus stops are not big enough to accommodate several buses within the same stop. Limiting the number of buses that can simultaneously run on the same line.
• Insufficient investment in the bus fleet.
• Insufficient city-wide coverage to attract passengers, it is not a network but only one line, it would have been better to have built a lower cost, but a wider network with more lines and reach across the city.
• No provision of a feeder bus system to ferry passengers not living near the route.
• No linkages with the city’s other mode of transport – bus, rail, air.
• No provisions for transfer stations linking with future lines, as some stations are elevated, building these connections now would be challenging.
• The Metrobus should be an integral part of the overall city transport network and should inform the future development of the city, future public transport corridors should be part of the master plan for all new developments, including DHA, etc.
According to the American Public Transport Association BRT infrastructure should cost US $2-18 million/km, the Lahore Metrobus’ infrastructure capital cost is more expensive as compared to international benchmarks. As per published figures, the infrastructure costs in US$ per kilometer (all costs escalated to 2014) for BRT for various cities are:
- Ahmedabad, India $3 million/km
- Dalian, China $4.5m/km
- Guangzhou, China $6.5m/km
- Istanbul, Turkey $10m/km
- Bogota, Columbia (new phase) $13.3m/km
- Lima, Peru $10m/km
- Los Angeles, USA $ 14.4m/km
Given lower labour costs in Pakistan and averaging the above figures, a fair estimate for infrastructure costs should be approximately $5-7m/km.
Therefore, at $11m/km, the Lahore Metrobus cost wise is substantially higher than the benchmark.
Although there is no evidence of corruption or any wrong doing, it is the expensive design and accelerated delivery that may have led to the price escalation.
Also read: Metro Bus Project eats away Women Park
Once major projects are completed, a “lessons learnt” exercise is normally held so that future projects learn from and improve upon the previous one. The lessons learnt exercise should have included why earlier bus services such as the Lahore Volvo bus and the Pindi Varan bus are no longer running; was it due to a non-sustainable business model, high fuel costs, lack of spare parts and replacement of the fleet, poor governance or road congestion?
Unfortunately, this was not done and the newly started Rs 50 billion Pindi Metrobus project, seems to repeat the same mistakes as the earlier Lahore one.
Also read: Doubts cloud Islamabad section as Metro Bus launched in Rawalpindi
It is not clear how the Pindi Metrobus strategically fits in the overall transport master plan, whether this project is for commuters to Islamabad; or for residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad? Globally 80 per cent of commuters use trains (both over ground and underground) as the preferred means of travel (trains regularly reach speeds of 100 kph and carry up to 800 passengers per train, unlike buses that travel at 25 kph and carry 100 passengers).
At current growth rates by 2035 Pindi-Islamabad will have a combined population of approximately five million, given that most of whom will not be able to afford living in Islamabad, and that the extended city would stretch from Hasanabdal, Fatehjang to Mandra, the transportation master plan should take cognizance of that in its design intent.
If we look at costs, as stated previously the cost of the Pindi Metrobus should not be approximately $6m/Km as compared to the actual estimated cost is Rs 50 billionn for 24.5 km or $20 million/km.
Based on surveys approximately. 200,000 vehicles/day travel from Pindi to Islamabad or 550,000 (persons) trips take place daily between the two cities, if we assume a 50 per cent capture for public transport then, today, the designed capacity of the Metrobus should be at least 300,000 trips/day as opposed to the current stated capacity of 150,000.
If we project this volume 10 years hence, it will underline that the Metrobus is significantly undersized and should be able to reach a capacity of approx. 500,000 trips/day.
Also read: Metrobus: mobility and sensibility
The Metrobus is an excellent idea and the Punjab government should be appreciated for its effort in initiating and implementing this project in a record time, but unfortunately it is also a symptom of a failing system whereby there is no independent regulatory authority to challenge the provincial government’s project intent, and safeguard public interest.
More time should have been given to studies (including environmental), planning and design rather than hurried implementation. The tax payers of this country should rightfully ask,
Why are they paying more than Rs 30 billion over international prices for an undersized transport system?
It may be still not be too late for the government to reassess the project and carry out a value engineering exercise to ruthlessly cut costs and maximise value for money, at the same time modify the design to maximise the systems passenger carrying capacity. It should also evaluate how this fits in the overall city master plan, assess actual current and future demands versus existing capacity in the proposed system.
In my opinion, the public hearing process should be strengthened, where in the hearings the business model is explained, to appreciate what additional investment would be needed to fund and operate the vehicle fleet, what is the correct ticket price and how an independent accountable management structure is in place to sustain this investment.
The regulatory system needs to be strengthened so that government entities are not allowed to brow beat regulators into hurriedly approving projects, Pakistan is a poor country and deserves affordable, properly designed, infrastructure that is “Fit for Purpose”.
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CASA 1000 Energy Project:
Pakistan, Afghanistan sign landmark transit fee accord on CASA-1000
WASHINGTON – Pakistan signed an agreement with Afghanistan on electricity transit fees, as Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Ishaq Dar described it a major step towards closer partnership between the two countries with transmission of Central Asian energy to Pakistan.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Dan Feldman witnessed the signing ceremony at the World Bank Headquarters. “It's a win-win for both countries,” Dar said, as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government successfully concluded the negotiations with Afghanistan on reaching an accord on 1.25 cent per KW transit fee for supply of Central Asian electricity to Pakistan through Afghan territory.
The accord, welcomed by the World Bank president as a success towards meeting Pakistan's power requirements, helps to establish the commercial arrangements for 1,300 megawatts of sustainable, regional electricity trade between Pakistan Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Afghanistan as part of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project, known as CASA-1000.
Dar expressed appreciation for the World Bank, the US State Department and USAID for their support for the landmark project. “This marks a new beginning towards greater economic cooperation between the two countries - and Pakistan is committed to greater economic and trade cooperation with Afghanistan,” which just had a new government in Kabul, he said.
Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Ashraf Mahmood Wathra, Additional Secretary External Finanace Shahid Mahmood attended the ceremony. For his part, Afghan Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal said Afghanistan was ready to realise the CASA-1000 vision and improve energy security and trade for the two countries and the region.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Jilani also said that the agreement marked an important achievement towards meeting Pakistan's exponential energy requirements. “This is another vital step,” following US support for Diamer Basha Dam, to realise energy availability for Pakistan. CASA-1000 will build more than 1,200 km of electricity transmission lines and associated substations to transmit excess summer hydropower energy from existing power generation stations in Tajikstan and the Kyrgz Republic to Pakistan and Afghanisan.
To oversee the complex, 4-country process, an inter-governmental council has been established that will supervise the design and implementation of the project. In March 2014, the World Bank Group approved financing for the engineering design, construction, and commissioning of transmission lines and three new converter stations. The project would build upon existing power generation stations that will provide the energy to be traded over CASA-1000.
The commercial and operating framework for CASA-1000 is specifically based on open access principles that will allow additional energy supplying countries to connect with wider regional transmission networks. CASA-1000 will enable the development of the Central Asia South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM) – a long-term plan for regional energy trade.
Pakistan, Afghanistan sign landmark transit fee accord on CASA-1000
Pakistan, Afghanistan sign landmark transit fee accord on CASA-1000
WASHINGTON – Pakistan signed an agreement with Afghanistan on electricity transit fees, as Federal Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Senator Ishaq Dar described it a major step towards closer partnership between the two countries with transmission of Central Asian energy to Pakistan.
World Bank President Jim Yong Kim and US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Dan Feldman witnessed the signing ceremony at the World Bank Headquarters. “It's a win-win for both countries,” Dar said, as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government successfully concluded the negotiations with Afghanistan on reaching an accord on 1.25 cent per KW transit fee for supply of Central Asian electricity to Pakistan through Afghan territory.
The accord, welcomed by the World Bank president as a success towards meeting Pakistan's power requirements, helps to establish the commercial arrangements for 1,300 megawatts of sustainable, regional electricity trade between Pakistan Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Afghanistan as part of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project, known as CASA-1000.
Dar expressed appreciation for the World Bank, the US State Department and USAID for their support for the landmark project. “This marks a new beginning towards greater economic cooperation between the two countries - and Pakistan is committed to greater economic and trade cooperation with Afghanistan,” which just had a new government in Kabul, he said.
Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani, Governor State Bank of Pakistan Ashraf Mahmood Wathra, Additional Secretary External Finanace Shahid Mahmood attended the ceremony. For his part, Afghan Finance Minister Omar Zakhilwal said Afghanistan was ready to realise the CASA-1000 vision and improve energy security and trade for the two countries and the region.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Jilani also said that the agreement marked an important achievement towards meeting Pakistan's exponential energy requirements. “This is another vital step,” following US support for Diamer Basha Dam, to realise energy availability for Pakistan. CASA-1000 will build more than 1,200 km of electricity transmission lines and associated substations to transmit excess summer hydropower energy from existing power generation stations in Tajikstan and the Kyrgz Republic to Pakistan and Afghanisan.
To oversee the complex, 4-country process, an inter-governmental council has been established that will supervise the design and implementation of the project. In March 2014, the World Bank Group approved financing for the engineering design, construction, and commissioning of transmission lines and three new converter stations. The project would build upon existing power generation stations that will provide the energy to be traded over CASA-1000.
The commercial and operating framework for CASA-1000 is specifically based on open access principles that will allow additional energy supplying countries to connect with wider regional transmission networks. CASA-1000 will enable the development of the Central Asia South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM) – a long-term plan for regional energy trade.
Pakistan, Afghanistan sign landmark transit fee accord on CASA-1000
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