MANSEHRA: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has agreed to increase price of land acquired for the 860-megawatts Suki Kinari Hydropower Project from Rs1.6 billion to Rs3.3 billion.
“The prime minister has agreed to almost double the price awarded by district administration at the time of launching the energy project being built at River Kunhar in Kaghan valley,” said Ayaz Khan, the deputy commissioner.
Kaghan residents, whose land is acquired for the hydropower project, have been protesting for the last several months, demanding the increase in land price.
A delegation from Mansehra, including Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, PML-N Senator Gen (retd) Salahudden Tirmizi, MPA from Balakot Mian Ziaur Rehman and Deputy Commissioner Ayaz Khan met the prime minister and apprised him about the latest situation raised by the landowners.
The district administration had sought increase of existing price of land acquired for dam from Rs1.6 billion to Rs5 billion but the premier agreed to enhance it to Rs3.3 billion.
The deputy commissioner said that the district administration had already paid Rs640 billion to the landowners.
The Suki Kinari Hydropower Project is the pioneer project in energy sector being built in Kaghan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
