ASTANA: Pakistan and Tajikistan on Tuesday emphasized the swift implementation of the CASA-1000 (Central Asia-South Asia) power export project, along with other connectivity and regional integration initiatives for the mutual benefit of both countries and the broader region.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin discussed the CASA-1000 power export projects during a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Astana.
The CASA-1000 project’s implementation commenced in January 2018. This $1.2 billion regional initiative aims to interconnect the power systems of four countries, enabling the transfer of surplus hydropower of 1,300 MW from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
During the bilateral meeting, they discussed bilateral ties and ongoing projects. They reiterated their commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and engaging in high-level dialogue.
It has been reported that construction work on the CASA-1000 power project has resumed in Afghanistan after being halted when the Taliban assumed power in 2021.
Elzada Sargashkayeva, head of the public relations department of NENK (National Electricity Networks of Kyrgyzstan), stated, “Tajikistan is expected to supply 70 percent of the CASA-1000 project’s electricity, with Kyrgyzstan supplying the remaining 30 percent, totaling 1,000-1,300 MW of electricity per year,” as reported by the Times of Central Asia.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 met Foreign Minister of Tajikistan Sirojiddin Muhriddin, on the sidelines of SCO Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Astana.
The two Foreign Ministers reaffirmed commitment to further strengthen… pic.twitter.com/OGnHK6aARv
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 21, 2024
