Urges WB, donor organisations not to finance the project without its written consent. PHOTO: FILE
Pakistan has already approached the World Bank to start the process for the approval of a $700 million loan for the 4,320-megawatt (MW) project, according to sources in the Ministry of Finance. The project’s construction on the Indus River was expected to start this year.
“The National Security Council of Afghanistan has instructed the country’s Foreign and Finance ministries to convey concerns to the World Bank about Pakistan’s decision to build the power project on Kabul-Indus River in Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.
The statement said Pakistan neither informed Afghanistan about the project through diplomatic channels nor there was any agreement between the two countries.
“Afghanistan’s relevant departments do not have any required information and details about the dam and there is a need for a detailed and necessary assessment of the project,” said the Afghan Foreign Ministry.
The Afghan Foreign Ministry called upon all international institutions including the World Bank not to finance and implement the project without the written consent of the Afghan government.
Dasu hydropower project is a run-of-river scheme located 7 km upstream of Dasu village on Indus River, 74 km downstream of Diamer Basha Dam at some 350 km from Islamabad.
Officials say the feasibility study and detailed engineering designs of the project have already been completed. Last month, the government had cleared the Dasu Hydropower Project and the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) constituted a committee to rationalise its cost.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 3rd, 2014.
COMMENTS (11)
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Afghanistan and its current puppet President Hamid "the Mayor of Kabul" Karzai are parroting India's objections to any major development project in Pakistan for some time now. Pakistan needs to move ahead with the Dasu HP and Diamer Basha HP projects with or without foreign funding. Instead of constructing limited-use metro bus projects or motorways, the Pakistani gov't needs to throw all of its weight behind these two projects.
To relate Dasu and Indus to Afghanistan, World has to do turn upside down, Or left-side to right-side Or North to south etc.
This dam is to be built on Kabul-Indus River hence World Bank has forwarded the construction plan of the Dam to Afghans to obtain the views of the Afghan government. Maybe it is the time that Pakistanis be grateful and thank Afghans for the free waters that they have been using for all these 65 years...
Maybe tribune post a better article to address its fellow citizens concerns rather than putting a ambiguous and negative article.
Hold on... wait a minute... did the Afg Govt at least googled the the map.... or may be the report is a frank...
Being a part of Dasu feasibility studies three years ago, I can affirm that Afghanistan has nothing in connection to this dam or its tributary or anything else in direct or indirect relevance (unless Indus River changes its course and starts flowing into Afghanistan) !!
Their foul cry just seem to highlight negative sentiments of Afghans & their government towards us.
It is strange how come Kabul can object to project at Dasu. It s on Indus river that does not flow from or into Afghanistan. The report mentions Kabul River but Kabul River has nothing to do with the project. Kabul joins Indus more than hundred kilometers downstream Dasu. It seems Afghanistan authorities are just making a laughing stock of themselves by raising objections on the project. The Work Bank should impose penalty on them for doing so.
Afghanistan should drag pak to international courts.
Indus, Chanab & Jehlum are Pakistani rivers FIRST and Regional rivers SECOND after the World Bank Treaty of 1960. Any tributary(s) to these rivers is also Pakistani if it flows inside Pak territory.
Afghan Govt, remember this.
regards,
How come the article doesn't explain why they would have an objection. Are they downstream of the dam? Does the dam reservoir flood Afghan territory? How far from the border would the flooded area be?
Given the Afghan leadership in current government, if the next government is going to be anything like it, money is better spent on Pakistan.
If Afghan leaders are angry about that, they will have to grow up and start taking responsibility for protecting their own country.
Since they have had 12 years to prove they cannot do this, I think it's a wonderful plan to help the Pakistani's instead.