PM calls on constructing new dams with consensus of all provinces as he chaired a high-level meeting in Islamabad.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif affirmed that the construction of new dams in Pakistan will proceed with the agreement of all provinces.
He stressed that priority will be given to building dams on uncontested sites while presiding over a meeting in Islamabad on water resources and storage.
He underscored the need for collective action by the federal government, provincial authorities, and other federal units to develop water reservoirs across the country.
Shehbaz Sharif condemned India’s unilateral withdrawal from the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a breach of the agreement and an act of water aggression. He said Pakistan will respond according to the National Security Committee’s April decisions and expressed confidence in Pakistan’s resilience.
The meeting included an in-depth review of Pakistan’s strategy for developing new dams to improve water storage capacity.
Chief Ministers from all provinces, along with leaders from Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, unanimously denounced India’s water actions and assured full support to the federal government.
Participants pledged to collectively ensure water security, likening their unity to a solid wall, or “Bunyan-um-Marsoos.”
The Prime Minister formed a committee led by Deputy PM Ishaq Dar to oversee the construction and financing of new dams. The body will evaluate funding options and provide recommendations.
The committee will comprise the Chief Ministers of all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, the AJK Prime Minister, and relevant federal ministers. Shehbaz Sharif instructed the committee to deliver its findings within 72 hours.
A comprehensive briefing was given at the meeting, highlighting that Diamer-Bhasha Dam is under construction and expected to be completed by 2032, while the Mohmand Dam may be finished by 2027.
Officials shared that Pakistan currently has 11 dams with a storage capacity of 15.318 million acre-feet. Additionally, 32 dams are being built under the PSDP, and 79 more under the Annual Development Program.
The high-level meeting was attended by key ministers, military leadership, and federal advisors, including Deputy PM Ishaq Dar and Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir.
Chief Ministers from Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan, the PM of AJK, and the CM of Gilgit-Baltistan, along with state officials and secretaries, also participated in the session.
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