By Commerce Reporter
ISLAMABAD - Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar has said that construction of Diamir Bhasha Dam project is on top most priority of the government that will be completed well in time.
Responding a call attention notice in the National Assembly Tuesday Syed Naveed Qamar said the eleven billion dollars hydro-power project will be biggest one in the history of Pakistan. He said initial work on the project has already been launched and negotiations are underway with various international agencies for financial assistance. He said two point six billion rupees have so far been spent on the initial ground work including construction of various buildings and land acquisition.
Syed Naveed Qamar said the project involves fifty percent foreign exchange for purchase of heavy machinery and WAPDA will provide three hundred and twelve billion rupees for the project. He said the project is so important for the government that it can sacrifice any other project on it. He said ground-breaking ceremony of the project will be undertaken shortly.
The call attention notice was moved by Dr. Abdul Qadir Khanzada and others regarding delay in the construction of Diamir Bhasha dam.
According to Pakistani sources, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ms Hina Rabbani Khar during her talks with Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) officials requested financial aid for the Basha Dam and the Neelam Jhelum Hydro Electric Power Project.
The Basha Dam project has an unutilized SFD allocation of $300 million, while the Jhelum project needs $80 million.
Yousef Al-Bassam, vice chairman and managing director of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) said that SFD would also consider implementing an income-generating program for the flood victims of Pakistan.
