Islamabad: Ahsan Iqbal Highlights Delays and Cost Escalation in Diamer Basha Dam Project
Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Ahsan Iqbal, chaired a review meeting on the progress of the Diamer Basha Dam project. The meeting was attended by the Secretary Planning, Chairman WAPDA, and senior officials of other relevant departments.
During the meeting, Ahsan Iqbal said that the Diamer Basha Dam is a crucial project for Pakistan's water and food security and must be completed expeditiously in the national interest. He said that until 2018, the estimated construction cost of the Diamer Basha Dam was Rs. 479 billion, and Rs. 120 billion had already been spent on land acquisition. However, due to delays and unnecessary postponements during the previous government, the cost of the project has increased significantly. He said that in 2020, c...