Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate construction work at the site of Mohmand Dam in the first week of January 2019, a news source quoted Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar and Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa will also attend the inauguration.
Inauguration of construction work for the project was slated for June 2019. With related arrangements already in place, the project is expected to be completed in the coming five years. Commenting on the planned inauguration, Vawda said that it was good news that the 54-year old project was finally reaching resolution.
Mohmand Dam is significant both in terms of generating electricity and irrigation. It will produce 800 megawatts of electricity and help irrigate 17,000 acres of barren land. Additionally, it will fulfil the water requirements of Peshawar for the coming generations.
The project will need financial resources up to PKR 315 billion, which will be entirely arranged through local resources. International funds will not be taken for the completion of Mohmand Dam. Instead, foreign funding will be arranged for hydel projects, which are highly important for the country.
The negligence of Tarbela Dam was also discussed during the conference. It was stressed that the particular project is significant in reducing flood risk and generating water for agriculture in the adjoining areas.
The efforts of the KP Government for Dasu Dam were also appreciated, along with the Kishanganga and Ratle projects being mentioned. It was stated that World Bank has been approached as a third party to resolve the concerns associated with Kishanganga and Ratle projects. The Attorney General of Pakistan is currently looking into the offered suggestions.
