Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has stated that the Diamer Basha Dam is a vital project for Pakistan’s water and food security, and its completion must be expedited for the national interest.
He was leading a review meeting on the progress of the Diamer Basha Dam project in Islamabad.
Ahsan Iqbal noted that until 2018, the estimated cost for constructing the Diamer Basha Dam was 479 billion rupees, with 120 billion rupees already spent on land acquisition. However, due to delays and unnecessary postponements by the previous government, the project’s cost has significantly increased.
He attributed the cost escalation to the previous administration’s inefficiency, stating that due to funding issues and delays, the cost has risen from 479 billion rupees to 1400 billion rupees.
The Minister highlighted that the Diamer Basha Dam will provide a storage capacity of 6.4 million acre-feet of water, which is crucial for the country’s agriculture and industry.
Ahsan Iqbal also stressed the importance of involving engineering and hydrology students from Pakistani universities in the dam’s construction, so they can gain valuable experience from this significant national project.
