Pakistan media commends workers for electricity supply during Ramadan

Two mainstream English-language newspapers in Pakistan -- Daily Times and Pakistan Observer --reported on June 8 and 9, respectively, that Chinese and Pakistani workers braved the heat during Ramadan to ensure the stable operation of the Port Qasim coal-fired power plant.

Pakistan media reports that Chinese and Pakistani workers braved the heat to ensure the stable operation of the Port Qasim coal-fired power plant during Ramadan. [Photo/POWERCHINA]

The Port Qasim coal-fired power plant is a project of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. It generates about 9 billion kilowatt/hour of electricity annually, greatly relieving Pakistan’s electricity shortage and producing tremendous economic and social benefits.

To carry out the project, POWERCHINA brought more than 100 Pakistani college students to China for free training in thermal power technology before placing them in key positions overseeing the power plant’s operation.

Since April, Pakistan’s weather has been intensely hot, causing overloads and other problems with the electrical network. The Port Qasim coal-fired power plant, which provides 10 percent of the nation’s electric power output, must be under stable operation to guarantee the power supply. According to reports, the Port Qasim coal-fired power plant offers convenient working and living conditions to local workers. To respect the religious beliefs of Pakistani workers, the plant set up two prayer sites with prayer mats in the office and dormitory areas.

Meals were rescheduled in the mornings and evenings in accordance with Ramadan tradition. Food quality has been improved with a variety of nutritious alternatives to cater to the diet of Pakistani workers and improve their physical health.

The reports noted that the Port Qasim coal-fired power plant is a vivid embodiment of the principles of the "Belt and Road Initiative". Embracing the new era of the commercial power plant, workers from China and Pakistan will fulfill their mission of lighting up four million homes and strengthening the China-Pakistan friendship.