Diamer Bhasha Dam likely to be included in CPEC

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reforms was informed on Monday that China had offered Pakistan to bring Diamer Bhasha Dam project under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"The project with 4,500MW installed capacity has been pending since long due to the fact that earlier in 2006, Asian Development Bank committed to fund the project, however, after 10 years, it declined to fund the project saying it was located in disputed territory,” Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) chairman Muzammil Hussain told the committee.

He said currently no mega hydropower project was included in CPEC, therefore governments of both Pakistan and China were seriously mulling over including this project in CPEC. He informed the committee that PC-1 of the project had already been completed and 85 percent land acquisition work had also been done by the government.

However, he said that funds allocation of the project, which needed around $14.49 billion to complete, was a serious issue. Wapda chairman informed that other hydropower projects, including Neelum-Jehlum and Tarbela extension would be completed by May 2018 which would provide additional 2,500MW electricity.

He informed that work on 800MW Mohmand Dam project would be initiated by March 2018. "This is a multipurpose project which will not only provide electricity and water for irrigation but also supply drinking water to Peshawar, and it will also mitigate the danger of flood in Nowshehra city,” he added.

Muzammil Hussain said work on Munda Dam project would also begin by the first quarter of the next year and there were no funding issues for both the projects. He said work on 2,500MW Dasu project would start by next month, and it would be completed by 2022.

Earlier, planning, development and reform secretary informed the committee that independent project directors would be appointed for those projects which were approved by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC).

The committee recommended the ministry to provide a complete list of project directors for its perusal. FESCO chief executive officer assured the committee that the electrification work in NA-73 under Pakistan SDGs and Community Development programme would be completed by end of July, 2017. The committee recommended M/o Water and Power to submit its funds execution policy in the next meeting. NESCOM general manager informed the committee that 33 percent work of the project of National Electronics Complex of Pakistan (NECOP) has been completed.

The committee was informed that the remaining issue of construction of bridge on River Indus to link Kallur-Kot with Dera Ismail Khan would be resolved before the next meeting. Moreover, it was informed that the PC-I of project has been prepared and submitted in CDWP for approval.