Pakistan vows to complete CASA-1000 at earliest

KABUL (Pajhwok): Islamabad has assured Dushanbe of making all possible efforts for an early completion of the CASA-1000 project.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi held out the assurance at a joint media briefing with his Tajik counterpart Sirajuddin Mehruddin in Dushanbe.

The Central Asia-South Asia (CASA-1000) project will not only benefit the two energy-deficient nations, but the whole region, Pakistan believes.

Initiated nearly five years ago, the power project will allow Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to export surplus hydroelectricity to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

AFP quoted Qureshi as saying the CASA-1000 project would improve electricity access, integrate markets to increase trade and find viable solutions to water resources’ management.

Qureshi said he was glad to learn that the Tajik president, in a meeting with his Afghan counterpart, had underlined a tripartite transit trade agreement among Dushanbe, Kabul and Islamabad.

Mehruddin commended Pakistan’s commitment to the CASA-1000 project. He hoped its completion would further cement relations between Pakistan and Tajikistan.

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