Islamabad, Pakistan, 27 January 2021 - President of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Dr. Bandar Hajjar, and the Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division), Pakistan, Mr. Omar Ayub Khan, in a high-level virtual event have inaugurated the construction of the 113 kilometer electricity transmission lines from Pak-Afghan border to Nowshera under the South Asia Central Asia Regional Trade and Transmission Project (CASA-1000).

The online event was virtually attended by senior Government officials, representatives of development partners, UN agencies and other key stakeholders.  

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Energy, appreciated IsDB’s financing support for Pakistan in the energy sector in general, and financing of US$ 155 million for construction of power transmission lines infrastructure in Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan under the CASA-1000 Project, in particular. He added that “the project will support economic integration among four participating countries, through establishing the regional electricity connection and creation of an integrated electricity market”. “CASA-1000 Project is not only a transformative development in economic and power sectors of Central Asia and South Asia, instead it is an inspiring model of how such development change can be best accomplished,” the Energy Minister elaborated.

Addressing the online event, the IsDB President said that the CASA-1000 Project is finally taking off towards achieving greater economic benefits for the IsDB’s participating Member Countries. He added that the project is fully in line with the Bank’s vision to help Member Countries and their people to progress their development initiatives towards a more economically sustainable future. “This project will form a major regional integration and bolster the electricity market. It will help meeting increasing energy demand in Pakistan, especially for the alleviation of power shortages during peak summer season enabling the supply of as much as 4,500 GWh of sustainable & clean electricity,” Dr. Hajjar noted.

The CASA-1000 Project is a 1,270 km power transmission line that exports excess hydropower generated in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan.

Transmission Components under the Project are being financed by IsDB and other development partners namely World Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, UK’s Department for International Development, and USAID at a total cost of US$ 1.17 billion, approximately.

Pakistan is a co-founding member and second largest beneficiary of IsDB Group’s financing with project approvals exceeding US$ 13.24 billion. Almost two-thirds, received by the energy sector (66.5%) followed by Industry (14.3%), Agriculture (8.2%), Health (4.7%), Transport (3.6%), Finance (1.8%), and Education (0.8%) sectors.

- President of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), Dr. Bandar Hajjar, and the Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division), Pakistan, Mr. Omar Ayub Khan, in a high-level virtual event have inaugurated the construction of the 113 kilometer electricity transmission lines from Pak-Afghan border to Nowshera under the South Asia Central Asia Regional Trade and Transmission Project (CASA-1000).

The online event was virtually attended by senior Government officials, representatives of development partners, UN agencies and other key stakeholders.  

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Energy, appreciated IsDB’s financing support for Pakistan in the energy sector in general, and financing of US$ 155 million for construction of power transmission lines infrastructure in Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan under the CASA-1000 Project, in particular. He added that “the project will support economic integration among four participating countries, through establishing the regional electricity connection and creation of an integrated electricity market”. “CASA-1000 Project is not only a transformative development in economic and power sectors of Central Asia and South Asia, instead it is an inspiring model of how such development change can be best accomplished,” the Energy Minister elaborated.

Addressing the online event, the IsDB President said that the CASA-1000 Project is finally taking off towards achieving greater economic benefits for the IsDB’s participating Member Countries. He added that the project is fully in line with the Bank’s vision to help Member Countries and their people to progress their development initiatives towards a more economically sustainable future. “This project will form a major regional integration and bolster the electricity market. It will help meeting increasing energy demand in Pakistan, especially for the alleviation of power shortages during peak summer season enabling the supply of as much as 4,500 GWh of sustainable & clean electricity,” Dr. Hajjar noted.

The CASA-1000 Project is a 1,270 km power transmission line that exports excess hydropower generated in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan.

Transmission Components under the Project are being financed by IsDB and other development partners namely World Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development, UK’s Department for International Development, and USAID at a total cost of US$ 1.17 billion, approximately.

Pakistan is a co-founding member and second largest beneficiary of IsDB Group’s financing with project approvals exceeding US$ 13.24 billion. Almost two-thirds, received by the energy sector (66.5%) followed by Industry (14.3%), Agriculture (8.2%), Health (4.7%), Transport (3.6%), Finance (1.8%), and Education (0.8%) sectors.