An implementation committee on Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dams, established by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, recently convened to assess progress on land acquisition and the resettlement of locals from project sites. Chaired by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman, Lt Gen (Retd) Sajjad Ghani, the committee reviewed the tasks undertaken by the sub-committee on land acquisition and resettlement related to the Diamer Bhasha Dam.

During the meeting, Wapda Chief Ghani acknowledged the progress made by the sub-committee and expressed optimism that the administration of Gilgit-Baltistan would soon finalize a strategy to address remaining cases of affected households. He emphasized Wapda’s commitment to addressing the legitimate cases of those affected by the projects, acknowledging their sacrifices.

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The commissioner of Diamer-Astore Division provided updates on the status of cases and the terms of reference of the grievances redressing committee during the meeting. Construction work on key sites for both Diamer Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam is reportedly progressing at a satisfactory pace. The Diamer Bhasha Dam, when completed, is expected to store 8.1 million acre-feet of water and generate 4,500 megawatts of hydel electricity, contributing to Pakistan’s energy needs. The dam’s construction is slated for completion in 2028.