KARACHI: Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda told Arab News on Friday that the construction of Pakistan’s long awaited Diamer-Bhasha dam would begin in the next six weeks.
The project was announced by the country’s military ruler General (retired) Pervez Musharraf’s administration 14 years ago. However, its construction contract worth Rs.442 billion was signed by the incumbent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government with China Power and Frontier Works Organization (FWO) on Wednesday.
“The construction of the dam will be done within eight years,” said Vawda, “and the project will address the issue of water and power shortage in the country. It will also strengthen Pakistan’s irrigation system and give a major boost to the agriculture sector.”
“Diamer-Bhasha dam, along with other power projects, will materialize in record time,” he continued while applauding the painstaking efforts of his team, especially the chairman of Water and Power Development Authority and secretary of the Ministry of Water Resources.
Discussing the benefits of hydropower projects like the Diamer-Bhasha, Mohmand and Dasu dams, the minister said they would collectively produce 32 billon units of electricity every year which was equivalent to WAPDA’s overall power generation capacity since 1958.
“With the completion of the Diamer-Bhasha dam, affordable electricity will be available to the national grid which will also help us increase our exports and achieve other economic goals,” he noted.
Besides generating more power, he said that the project would address the issue of water shortage in the country.
“The construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam will augment water supply to the existing canal irrigated land which is presently facing a water shortage due to the depleting water storages in Mangla and Tarbela dams,” he added.
Vawda noted that the project would have a capacity of 4,500 megawatts and create 15,500 new jobs. He added that water scarcity and management were important issues and constituted a high priority for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.
“The federal government is developing water sector projects all across the country and has allocated Rs 70 billion in the current financial year for that purpose,” he said.
“Our government is also expediting the implementation of Dasu Hydropower Project which will result in [2,160 megawatts of electricity] and 8,000 jobs,” the minister informed while adding that the Mohmand dam would irrigate 160,000 acres of existing 16,000 acres of new land besides generating 250 million gallons of water for Peshawar on a daily basis. “It will also protect Nowshera and Swat valleys from floods and create 6,000 jobs.”
Construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam will begin in six weeks — minister
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Construction of Diamer-Bhasha dam will begin in six weeks — minister

- The reservoir will help address water shortage in the country and generate 18 billion units of electricity per annum
- Pakistan on Wednesday signed a contract with a Chinese firm for the construction of the dam