ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the swift completion of a 100-megawatt solar power project in Gilgit-Baltistan within one year, vowing to personally monitor its progress.
The directive came during a high-level review meeting, following ECNEC’s recent approval of the long-awaited scheme. Calling it a “national priority,” the prime minister said the project will deliver uninterrupted, low-cost, and eco-friendly electricity to a region suffering up to 20-hour daily outages.
Under the plan, 20 solar parks will be set up — six in Gilgit, eight in Skardu, and six in Diamer — alongside rooftop installations on over 480 public buildings. The project will include battery storage, real-time monitoring, and infrastructure built to withstand extreme weather.
Funded entirely by the federal government, the initiative aims to serve even the remotest areas. The steering committee will be chaired by Federal Energy Minister Awais Leghari.
Sharif described the project as a lifeline for GB’s people and stressed integrating renewable energy into the national mix to combat climate change.
Story by Zulfiqar Ahmad
