World News| Pakistan: Chinese companies complain of rising Thar 1 coal mine thefts

Sindh [Pakistan]Feb 28 (ANI): The Chinese company has written to the government of Sindh province, alleging the increasing number of thefts in Block 1 of the Thar coal mine, Pakistani vernacular media Intekhab Daily reported.

The chairman of the Chinese company wrote that local youths were involved in the theft.

Read also | Harry Styles works with charities to end gun violence across America.

“They are stealing cables, steel products and other precious materials and instruments. If the thieves are apprehended, the police will free them,” the chairman wrote in his letter.

He wrote in the letter that just a few days ago, a transmission line was severely damaged. He asked the Minister of Sindh to ban public events within 2 km of the fence around Block-1 of Thar Coal Mine, Intekhab Daily reported.

Read also | British mother dies after trainee doctors inserted breathing tube into esophagus instead of trachea

“If the theft is not contained, we will not be able to deliver the results requested,” the letter read.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has bowed to pressure from Beijing by deciding not to move a 300-megawatt coal-fired power plant from Gwadar to Thar, sources told Business Recorder.

In addition, Pakistan has agreed to extend its financial settlement period by three years.

Chinese leaders reportedly told Prime Minister Sheikh Baz Sharif during his recent visit to Beijing that relocating the coal-fired power plant from Gwadar to Thar would require a new project that Beijing is reluctant to undertake as it has no intention of starting any new Coal Project Business Recorder.

The Prime Minister hopes that the Minister of Planning will decide on the matter as soon as possible within the scope of the CEPC framework agreement, taking into account the overall strategic cooperation between the two countries and the extraordinary support provided by China.

The Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) had urged the Chinese company to shift its project from imported coal in Gwadar to local coal in Thar but opted to remain silent, the sources added.

Relocating the project to Thar and using local coal was not feasible due to long logistical lines and cost-benefit analysis including low yield, high volatility, fragility and other environmental issues associated with local coal.

Furthermore, it said at the time that transferring approved projects was against Chinese policy because new coal projects could not be developed or financed. (Arnie)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)