Dasu Hydropower project: Talks on resumption work remain inconclusive

MANSEHRA: The talks between the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Gezhouba Group Company on Wednesday remained inconclusive on the resumption of the work on 4320 megawatts Dasu Hydropower project.

The work on the mega World Bank-funded energy project was stopped after the death of 13 people, including nine Chinese nationals, in an explosion in a bus. The bus was carrying workers to an under- construction tunnel of the dam on July 13.

“Talks which were postponed earlier last week resumed in presence of the Chinese ambassador Nong Rong but remained inconclusive on the security and other issues,” one of the negotiators said. “However, it was mutually decided to hold another round of talks to ensure the early resumption of the work on Dasu dam,” he added.

The Wapda’s Chairman Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain led the Wapda in talks with the Chinese consortium. He said that Wapda’s chairman also apprised the Chinese company and ambassador regarding the deployment of the army’s brigades in Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas.

“Now the army’s brigades deployed in Kohistan district will escort Chinese nationals at work and back to their respective camps via Karakoram Highway,” an official said. Both sides also discussed the progress made by the Chinese agencies and the Counter Terrorism Department in the Dasu bus explosion investigation.

“The Chinese government is thankful to the government of Pakistan for the provision of facilities and the required security to its national working on the Dasu dam and other projects being executed in Hazara under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Initiative,” Wapda’s members quoted the Chinese ambassador as saying at the joint meeting.