Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal chaired the third high-level meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Thursday, focusing on permanent solutions to recurring power and water shortages in Gwadar. The meeting included Federal Minister for Power Awais Leghari and senior officials from relevant ministries and stakeholders.
Speaking at the meeting, Ahsan Iqbal emphasized the government’s commitment to resolving chronic electricity shortages in Gwadar and Gilgit-Baltistan, noting that uninterrupted power supply is critical for economic growth, service delivery, and long-term regional development. The minister highlighted that the Prime Minister has prioritized energy projects crucial to these regions, with strict timelines for execution.
The meeting reviewed the Solarisation of Pumping Stations and Desalination Power Plants in Gwadar, a Rs 1.9 billion initiative aimed at improving efficiency and lowering operating costs of the city’s water infrastructure. Officials reported a payback period of only 2.7 years, making the project economically and operationally viable.
The grid stability study has been completed, and deployment of a ±50 MVAR Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) at Pasni (132 kV), along with a local generation plant in Gwadar (132 kV), is scheduled between October and December 2026. Ahsan Iqbal instructed officials to ensure timely deployment of STATCOM and accelerate the solarisation projects to address Gwadar’s water and power challenges sustainably.
“Ensuring stable and affordable electricity in Gwadar is not just a technical issue—it is vital for residents’ livelihoods and the success of ongoing and future development projects,” the minister said.
Ahsan Iqbal further stressed that power infrastructure improvements must go hand-in-hand with effective service maintenance at Gwadar Port and law enforcement, ensuring development gains translate into sustainable economic activity. Coordination with the Government of Balochistan and the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) will be maintained throughout the planning and execution phases of all energy projects.
