ISLAMABAD: Following the suspension of civil work on the Dasu and Diamer-Bhasha Dams, similar action has been taken by Chinese companies, resulting in approximately 991 Chinese engineers ceasing operations across both projects. Local staff members have been instructed to remain at home until further notice.
Despite this, Chinese engineers are still actively engaged in work on the Mohmand Dam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Tragically, five Chinese engineers working on the Dasu Dam lost their lives in a devastating incident when a vehicle laden with explosives struck the bus transporting them along the Karakoram Highway in the Bisham area on Tuesday.
An official associated with the project confirmed the halting of work by the Chinese company on the Dasu Dam, with local staff members instructed to stay home. The Dasu Dam, located in District Upper Kohistan, involves approximately 741 Chinese and 6,000 local workers in its construction, aiming to generate 4,320 MW of electricity.
Similarly, Nazakat Hussain, the General Manager of Diamer-Bhasha Dam (DBD), verified that the Chinese company had ceased operations on the dam. He mentioned that roughly 500 Chinese nationals were involved in DBD, but work by FWO staff members continues. Approximately 6,000 locals are actively participating in the construction of the dam. Hussain expressed hope for a return to normalcy in a few days, anticipating the resumption of work by Chinese employees. The Diamer-Bhasha Dam is anticipated to produce 4,800 MW of electricity through hydropower generation upon completion.
Conversely, Asim Rauf, the GM of Mohmand Dam, informed this correspondent that 250 Chinese workers are still actively involved in the project and have not halted work. He stated, “Chinese have shown satisfaction over the security situation in the project area, and they are working on the site.” Upon its completion, the Mohmand Dam is expected to generate 740 MW of hydroelectricity, irrigate 15,100 acres of land, and mitigate downstream floods.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
