China Offers To Make Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project Part of CPEC

Chairman WAPDA says other hydro-power projects including Neelum Jehlum, Tarbela extension would be completed by May next year.

China has offered to bring Diamer-Bhasha Dam project under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

This was informed at a meeting of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Reforms in Islamabad on Monday.

Chairman WAPDA Muzamil Hussain told the committee that the project has been pending since long, as Asian Development Bank has declined to fund it, raising objection on its location.

He informed that currently, no mega hydro-power project is included in CPEC, therefore governments of both Pakistan and China are seriously mulling over including this project in CPEC.

Chairman WAPDA said other hydro-power projects including Neelum Jehlum and Tarbela extension would be completed by May next year which would provide additional 2500 MW electricity.

He said work on Dasu project would be started next month, and completed by 2022.