ISLAMABAD, 07 September, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Japan has extended a grant aid of 2.6 billion Japanese Yen to Pakistan for the Project for Flood Protection and Dike Improvement on the Indus River in Sindh Province. Notes to this effect were signed and exchanged between Japanese Ambassador to Pakistan AKAMATSU Shuichi and Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Muhammad Humair Karim in Islamabad on September 7, 2026, while the Grant Agreement was subsequently signed and exchanged between JICA Pakistan Office Senior Representative SUGAWARA Takayuki and Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Sabina Qureshi. The project aims to reduce the risk of dike breaches and associated economic losses by reinforcing vulnerable sections in the Larkana region, including riverbank erosion protection and dike reinforcement works. A stronger concrete-based embankment construction method, which is relatively rare in Pakistan, will be adopted to improve flood resilience and provide long-term protection. The project is expected to reduce flood risks for approximately 790,000 residents, while protecting communities, agricultural land and infrastructure and reducing flood-related economic losses. Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador AKAMATSU recalled Pakistan’s devastating 2022 floods and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting the country’s recovery, reconstruction and disaster-prevention efforts, saying the project would help protect the region from future flood damage through Japan’s experience and expertise. JICA Senior Representative SUGAWARA Takayuki said the concrete reinforcement of dikes would require higher initial investment but was expected to provide more sustainable and long-lasting benefits. He emphasized that the project was not only about strengthening dikes but also about protecting lives, safeguarding livelihoods and building a more resilient Sindh Province for future generations. The project will strengthen flood protection along the flood-prone Indus River basin, support sustainable flood-risk management and contribute to building a more disaster-resilient society in Pakistan.