ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan has said Pakistan wanted to take benefit from the energy sources of Uzbekistan especially the huge gas reservoirs.

He said this while talking to Ambassador of Uzbekistan Furqat Sidiqov who called on him in Islamabad. During the meeting, Pakistan and Uzbekistan have agreed to form the Joint Working Group on energy.

“Both the countries have shared values and are tied in Islamic brotherhood which needs to be further cemented by boosting the existing economic cooperation between the two countries,” the federal minister for power said.

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He said that he was scheduled to attend the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program meeting at Tashkent from Friday next where he will be meeting his Uzbek Counterpart and discuss the prospects of cooperation in the energy sector. The Omar Ayub expressed satisfaction over multiplication of trade volume between the two counties.

On suggestion of Uzbek Ambassador, the federal minister agreed to form Joint Working Group on Energy and said that Additional Secretary Power Division shall work as focal person to undertake the formalities in this regard.

The ambassador of Uzbekistan informed Omar Ayub that Uzbekistan has huge gas reservoirs and the electricity generation has also competitive rates.

He also apprised the Minister that Uzbekistan has good experience in renewable energy.

On August 7, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had arrested former finance minister Miftah Ismail from the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) after the court rejected his plea for an extension in his pre-arrest interim bail in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) import case.

He was wanted by the NAB for inquiry against former petroleum minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and the then secretary ministry of petroleum about award of LNG terminal-1 to Engro Energy Terminal Private Limited.