Federal Interior Minister visits Diamer Basha Dam; Reviews security arrangements at site

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February 13, 2023: Federal Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan visited Diamer Basha Dam Project, being constructed on River Indus, 40-Kilometre downstream of Chilas town. He was accompanied by Federal Secretary Interior Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, Chairman WAPDA Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) and National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Muhammad Tahir Rai. The visit was aimed at assessing the overall security scenario on the mega multi-purpose project, which is of vital significance for the national development in the years ahead.

 Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Imdad Ullah Bosal, Chief Secretary Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, IG Police KP Akhtar Hayat Khan, IG Police GB Saeed Wazir, Home Secretary KP Khushal Khan, Home Secretary GB Iqbal Hussain, General Manager (GM) Security WAPDA Brig (Retd) Muhammad Tufail, Chief Executive Officer Diamer Basha Development Company Amir Bashir Chaudhary, GM Diamer Basha Dam Dr. Khawar Munir, Commissioner Hazara Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, Commissioner Diamer-Astor Division Dildar Ahmed Malik, Deputy Commissioner Upper Kohistan Asif Khan, Deputy Commissioner Diamer Fiaz Ahmed and representatives of the consultants and the contractors were also present on the occasion.

During the briefing, the Federal Minister was apprised, in detail, about the security arrangements, which are in place to facilitate smooth construction work on different sites in the project area. Addressing the meeting, the Federal Minister said that the scheduled completion of Diamer Basha Dam Project is directly linked with the safe and congenial environment at the project sites, and that can only be made possible by enforcing well-thought out and coherent security plans in the project area. Earlier, the Federal Minister for Interior reviewed construction activities and security arrangements at worksite.

Scheduled for completion in 2029, Diamer Basha Dam will have a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 MAF to irrigate 1.23 million acres of additional land. It will have installed power generation capacity of 4,500 MW, and provide 18 billion units of green and clean hydel electricity to the National Grid per annum. A sum of Rs.78.5 billion is being spent on resettlement of affectees and CBMs in health, education and infrastructure development. Thor Hydel Power Station, Thak Hydel Power Station and Cadet College Chilas are amongst these CBMs. In addition, the locals are being accorded priority in employment opportunities on Diamer Basha Dam Project.