Nawaz approves allocation for Bhasha, Dasu dams, motorways

E-Paper | May 08, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday approved allocation for construction of Diamer-Bhasha Dam (4500 MW), Dasu Hydro Power Project (2160 MW), Construction of Faisalabad-Khanewal Motorway and Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus project.

Presiding over a meeting to finalise the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) allocation for financial year 2014-15 here at the PM House, he said these projects would not only create millions of job opportunities in the country but also raise the living standards of the people.

Prime Minister Sharif said that development projects initiated by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government have taken the country on to the road of progress and will usher in an era of prosperity.

According to a press release, the premier told the participants that each penny in the national kitty was a public trust and emphasised upon efficient use of public money.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and senior officials of the concerned ministries.

The prime minister was given a detailed briefing on the PSDP projects included in the next financial year budget. He was told that each project, whether small, medium or large had been evaluated with reference to cost, importance, priority and time frame.

Sharif directed to expedite work on Lahore-Karachi Motorway. He was told that the work on this project would be started by end of current year.

The meeting also discussed and approved the initiatives of feasibility studies; for construction of new rail link from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad via Murree, construction of new rail link from Havelian to Pakistan-China Border, connect Gawadar with Karachi through rail, approach roads to new Islamabad International Airport, new Gawadar International Airport project, jetty and infrastructure development at Gaddani, Gawadar Port Economic Free Zone project, Pakistan-China Technical and Vocational Institute at Gawadar and Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park at Lal Sohnra Park Phase-II (600 MW).

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Ahmer

May 23, 2014 10:02pm

Very good news but is this just announcement or serious planning? Where is the money going to come from?

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Zafar Iqbal Tayyab

May 23, 2014 11:36pm

Such reservoirs are the biggest need for economic survival of our country. Any further delays in construction of large as well as medium scale dams would be criminal negligence.

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Frantic

May 24, 2014 12:12am

All investment in Punjab, yet again.

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IKE

May 24, 2014 12:16am

"The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, MNA Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, MNA Capt (retd) Safdar and senior officials of the concerned ministries." It is all family. Did anyone else besides immediate family attended the meeting?

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amir

May 24, 2014 01:08am

@Frantic Maybe non-Punjabis should vote for him so he can support them too :) he did not win a single seat in Karachi or Sindh, can't complain if you keep voting for ppp and mqm.

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independentthinker

May 24, 2014 01:20am

"Millions of Jobs" - does he know what a million is? When a country like the United States or Canada creates 100,000 jobs, it becomes a very big deal.... in Pakistan, we are going to see "millions" of jobs created! I better move back to Pakistan - prospects look great!

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Wez

May 24, 2014 01:31am

@Frantic ermmm actually NO, diamer-bhasha dam is in Gilgit-Baltistan and Dasu dam is in KPK!!

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Kalim ullah

May 24, 2014 01:46am

Govt should construct these dams in Zia Era. To late means govt is not sincere in its construction.

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MSAlvi

May 24, 2014 01:57am

When Musharraf was fighting for building these dams, Nawaz and his party and many others were fighting tooth and nail to oppose it. If Musharraf could have don it then, Pakistan would be in much better condition today. Nawaz is making big announcements, but wait and see what actually happens. I believe nothing will happen - there is no money. No one is talking about where that Saudi money is being used.

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Farooq

May 24, 2014 02:27am

''PM emphasised on the efficient use of public money'' . I am not sure if buying BMWs worth 244m was efficient use of public money.

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May 24, 2014 02:30am

I sincerely hope all this is true!! Infrastructure, education and the basic needs. I hope 2 BMWs are not part of the larger investment plan!!

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Syed Ahmed

May 24, 2014 03:02am

All looks quite ambitious. Double chin PM has not been able to tide over the country's security, sanctity of chaddar and chardiwari, food security, health care and education.

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Umer Hamid Enam

May 24, 2014 03:14am

So after wasting public money on two BMW'$ he will save every penny.... Penny wise pound foolish.

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Ijaz

May 24, 2014 03:23am

@Frantic You need a geography lesson. Muzafferabad is in AJK. Gwader is in Balochistan, Diamer Basha Dam in KPK and oh the last time I was there, I am certain Karachi was the capital of Sindh. Please stop turning everything into a sectarian battle.

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Awan

May 24, 2014 04:29am

@Frantic So Diamer and Dasu Dam are being developed in Punjab.? Also Islamabad is in Punjab.? Moreover Karachi is in Punjab where the major part of Motorway will be connected in future. Also Gwadar is in Punjab.? I dont know that Muzzarfad is in Punjab as well as last time i checked on Google maps Muzzafarabad was in Kashmir?

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May 24, 2014 04:39am

When is Nawaz Sharif going to solve the problem of electricity in Pakistan. This is his third term as a Prime Minister and he has a strong majority for the second time. It is time that he learns what is important for Pakistan. Education and rising unemployment also needs his necessary intention. I guess if the elections were not rigged, he would never be able to become Prime Minister third time simply on these issues. It is better to spend money and time on education, unemployment, electricity shortage issues.

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El Cid

May 24, 2014 05:01am

@Frantic : "All investment in Punjab, yet again" Those stupid idiots...they should build those dams in Karachi. Specially KBD so that there is no controversy against it. Lolz !

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Riaz Murtaza

May 24, 2014 05:27am

@Frantic Firstly, the projects are in Pakistan and these are not in the Province of Punjab. Dams are only constructed where possible.

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Zafar

May 24, 2014 06:11am

This is all good and shows some commitment. However what level of approval is this. These projects in total will cost upwards of $30 Billion. Where is the money coming from. We have been approving these projects for the last 20 years, and then allocating a few Billion here and a few Billion there. That won't cut it.

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awais

May 24, 2014 06:56am

@Frantic read the article first then comment

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Shahid

May 24, 2014 07:00am

@Frantic, Bhasha and Dasu are not punjab projects as they are niether in Punjab nor are they ment for only punjab. Islamabad metro is capital project and the motorway though in punjab but will lead to karachi within 4 years. But what amuses me is that my brothers from Sindh complain but they don't think that they had their own government in the center for last 5 years and yet again and again they vote for PPP but without asking themselves that what did PPP do for them since they started voting for them. Yes I do agry that Sharifs need to invest in KPK and Balochistan which they are neglecting. The funniest thing in this news is the names of the participants of the meating, whole the kings family is sitting there, no one else is able enough to contribute.

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John Ali

May 24, 2014 09:12am

All investments will primarily benefit Punjab, not the other provinces. The PM should also focus on development of other provinces, not just Punjab. All provinces are supposed to be equal.

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BK Saeed

May 24, 2014 10:11am

Pakistan needs projects like these.. especially China Gwadar and Lahore to Karachi Motorway and Trains. If Nawaz Shareef can complete these projects in his tenure and convert most of the electricity to cheap electricity solutions like dams, he would have done his job fairly

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Tahir Amjad

May 24, 2014 10:22am

By@independentthinker millions of jobs does not mean high profile managerial/executive jobs or middle/ lower management jobs in fact if all these projects are initiated millions of direct and indirect jobs,such as on sites grocery/tea shops cobler/barbers shops,small and medium sized construction material yards passenger / goods transport services ,even new opportunities for real state business will bring a huge change in the life of a common man.

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Akram

May 24, 2014 12:35pm

@John Ali you should try to read up before commenting, Gwadar port development is the major game changer here. It is about as far from Punjab as it gets in one country. The major beneficiary of this will in fact be Balochistan.

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SamKelly

May 24, 2014 02:17pm

Wanna bet these projects won't be started now because the gov is doing money laundering full time fueling their bank with people tax money, the projects will start at the end of N league gov tenure and will try to complete it as fast as they can to get votes from Punjab, the way they completed Kalma Chowk underpass in 7 months of time had a big impact on people in Lahore, especially the illiterate class.

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Salma

May 24, 2014 02:32pm

CONGRATULATION PAKISTAN, Ishaq Dar said, millions of jobs will be created through 3G and 4G. Now the prime minister announces that millions of jobs will be created through Bhasha, Dasu and motorway projects. So it looks as if we will have to import labour force...... aren't these people out of their minds. Can some one take them seriously? I say no.

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hassan

May 24, 2014 03:55pm

dear first of all being educated persons do not go below respected levels. secondly if some one is doing ,wait for good result, not for lame excuses and wrong allegations.

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independentthinker

May 24, 2014 07:25pm

@Tahir Amjad I am still having a very hard time believing "millions" - even with a bit of exaggeration, I would say hundreds of thousands - but millions? I have to see it to believe it!

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Blitzer

May 24, 2014 10:37pm

Let's hope that the government of NS actually allocated the required funds for Diamer-Basha Dam and Dasu HP Project in the coming budget. Both the projects need around PKR 1 billion p.a. for meaningful work to be accomplished. The last thing Pakistan can afford is another grand inauguration ceremony at DBD with little work to show for it at the end of the FY 2014-15.

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Ch Nasir Iftikhar

May 25, 2014 01:16am

So far, so good. I would like to wish all involved stakeholders to efficiently and directly plan, project and execute these railway, tunnelway, bridges & motorways with metrobus etc in Pakistan.

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independentthinker

May 25, 2014 01:20am

@Salma Maybe all the expatriates will finally get to go back to Pakistan! Wouldn't that be a dream come true. Living in your country of birth! Who could ask for more?

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SYED ADNAN SHAFQAT

May 27, 2014 10:22am

Well anyone has to take the first step, lets be positive and hope the planning gives output to benefit the country and its people. Never mind if its not a million jobs, lets say ' x ' figure will do to create jobs and make the people prosper, decrease the percentage of joblessness and crimes in the country. We all are one big family ! Hands together.

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