PM touts Bhasha dam as economic lifeline

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday said that the Diamer-Bhasha Dam would serve as a future lifeline for the country’s economy and urged the authorities to expedite the project to ensure its completion by 2026 instead of its currently scheduled time of 2029.

The premier was delivering a speech after reviewing the 4,800-megawatt plant’s construction on his maiden visit to the site. He was accompanied by other PML-N leaders, including Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Marriyum Aurangzeb and Khawaja Asif.

Sharif was briefed by Chairperson WAPDA Lt Gen (retd) Muzzamil Hussain on the project.

“I insist to go ahead with its timeline of 2029 and complete it by 2026-27. It will be a miracle if we achieve it. Nothing is impossible in this world. We can achieve it if we advance in unison,” he stressed.

The prime minister said that the project was initiated by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2016 and funds were provided by the PML-N government for the land acquisition.

It was a gigantic task and assured all-out support from the federal government to complete the project as early as possible, he assured and suggested encouraging the international investors for future fundraising.

He also announced the construction of a 13km Babusar Top tunnel to ensure all-year-round traffic flow and asked the authorities to submit a study report to his office.

PM Shehbaz expressed faith in Gen Muzzamil and claimed that he was “sure” that those working on the project will “keep up” their efforts.

‘Time wasted in four years gives me goosebumps’

However, PM Shehbaz also took the opportunity to criticise the former ruling party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, saying he gets goosebumps when he is briefed on developmental projects as he comes to realise “how much time has been wasted in the past four years”.

The prime minister said that what happened during the last four years was unfortunate. He regretted that out of 125-130MAF water, they were only saving and utilizing 25-30MAF water annually.

PM Shehbaz stated that as a Khadim-e-Pakistan, he would not lie before the nation or twist the truth, but facts should come forward.

During his speech, Shehbaz maintained that he will refrain from political matters, as there will be other opportunities to reveal the truth before the nation.

The premier highlighted the benefits of the dam, including economic prosperity, land irrigation, control of sedimentation and flash floods.

He hoped that the projected date for the completion of construction will be decreased by two to three years and that the dam will be completed by 2026/7 instead of 2029.

‘Nothing is impossible’

Addressing the crowd in Urdu, after he finished his speech in English for the “foreigners”, PM Shehbaz said that the construction of the dam will be a milestone for Pakistan.

“125-30 million acre-feet of water passes by this dam, but we can only save 25-30 million acre-feet, which is unfair for our people,” he said, adding that everyone must learn from the mistakes of the past and not let this “gift” of nature go to waste.

Lastly, he told Gen Muzzamil to construct a hospital in the region, as that was missing, and people had to make do with a small dispensary or travel for medical care.

PM Shehbaz is also set to take an aerial review of Karakorum Highway, the 3MW Thuk power project and Chilas cadet college.

(With input from APP)