CM asks British minister to trace experts who built Sukkur Barrage in 1932

E-Paper | March 04, 2026

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has urged the British government to trace out the engineers and the firm which had constructed one of the largest irrigation systems of its kind in the world at Sukkur from 1923 to 1932.

Though the barrage had completed its life the Sindh government had planned to rehabilitate it after having its survey conducted through World Bank experts, said the chief minister during a meeting with British Minister of State for Trade and Investment and Minister for London Greg Hands who called on him at the CM House on Wednesday.

He said the construction of a new barrage was a gigantic task and till the time it was undertaken the existing structure could be given a new lease of life for 20 to 25 years if it was rehabilitated by the same firm and experts who had originally built it.

“It doesn’t matter if the British government cannot extend financial support it can still help us trace out the firm and its experts who had constructed the barrage so that their expertise could be used to rehabilitate the structure,” he said.

The meeting discussed different avenues of investment and the chief minister told the British minister and the diplomats accompanying him that if proper investment was made Sindh’s wind and solar corridor had the capacity to generate 50,000MW electricity.

British Minister Greg Hands took note of the matter taken up by the chief minister and assured him of exploring ways and means to open avenues of investment in Sindh.

He showed his interest in investment in tourism and Moenjodaro to make it a leading tourist destination.

The chief minister nominated chairman of Planning and Development Board Mohammad Waseem to coordinate with British High Commission to work on the various proposals discussed in the meeting.

The British minister was accompanied by British High Commissioner to Pakistan, acting Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi, private secretary, head of trade and head of trade London.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2017

Pakistan

Karachi’s MT Khan Road again closed in view of security situation

Karachi inches towards normalcy as roadblocks and protests continue

Terrorism cases registered over violence near US consulate in Karachi

Shahid Sattar

Sep 21, 2017 09:20am

Will the engineers be called from their graves to do the restoration work of the barrage?

Recommend 0

MUHAMMAD ZAFAR IQBAl

Sep 21, 2017 09:28am

there is need of commitment, honesty and dedication to built such giant structures , mere talks and planning will not produce results.

Recommend 0

Concerned Pakistani

Sep 21, 2017 10:11am

The firm may exist however to ask for the experts who worked in 1923 seems a joke.

Recommend 0

Jahan

Sep 21, 2017 10:14am

I am sure that the British experts who constructed the barrage in 1932 are still alive and healthy. They will be ready to come to Pakistan to rehabilitate their per project. We can also get our thousands of PhDs who are bestest in the world to upgrade these simple pre-independence stone-structure just by focussing their god-given brilliance.

Recommend 0

Naeem

Sep 21, 2017 10:53am

British gave us education,legal system, rails, health and ports etc.. If you think we could have done better....go and see Baluchistan, Interior Sindh and Afghanistan...these areas are pretty much virgin , untouched by British interventions and the result will open your eyes. We ought to be thankful to British Imperialism for actually civilising us.

Recommend 0

struggle

Sep 21, 2017 12:21pm

Isn't it amazing a country having been independent for seven decades is looking for a company who built Sukkur barrage way back 1923-1932. Alas! A nation couldn't produce engineers and leadership through all those elapsed years who would have been capable of rehabilitating the barrage or built a new one.

Recommend 0

M.M.Amin(Old Ravian)

Sep 21, 2017 12:49pm

It should not be necessary to get the same firm .If the design and related documents are available our own experts could do it . Where there is will ,there is always a way .

Recommend 0

Asad Hamza

Sep 21, 2017 12:57pm

And the minister will be laughing when returned home as no Pakistani firm or engineering team (with all the technology available) is able to understand and fix an 85 year old structure. Bravo!

Recommend 0

Mirza

Sep 21, 2017 01:18pm

A person didn't make it a company made it and the chances are they have a record from plans to completion. We may not understand and make a joke of it but good companies and scientists do leave a great record. It is about time that attention is paid to water and power resources of the province. Of course there cannot be any positive reaction or appreciation without going into details just laugh it off has been our attitude.

Recommend 0

Confused

Sep 21, 2017 01:32pm

Because the standard of Pakistan and specially sindh is such that no Engineer understands any science.

Recommend 0

zedd

Sep 21, 2017 02:13pm

This srupidity at its best...companies die because they dod not keep.up with developing technology..what is the guarantee that if the original company is traced it is still competent in ots field...this thought will at least provide a few free trips to UK for the the officials that have been given the task

Recommend 0

Mubashir Munir

Sep 21, 2017 02:43pm

No problem sir for any structure,you should ask your civil engineers in Pakistan Engineering Council for any type of work you require

Recommend 0

imdadali

Sep 21, 2017 03:06pm

good decision by CM sindh due to make request for searching of the company who had constructed the sukkur bridge for previous one rehabilitate as it (bridge) has been over 8 decades and definitely it may be completed its life. Its repair and maintenance is mandatory.

Recommend 0

Karachiwala

Sep 21, 2017 03:39pm

These buffoons in the Sindh Government think that 1932 technology can save us. The field of hydraulics engineering, structures, soil mechanics and water management has moved a million miles since 1932 and our incompetent and uninformed leaders are looking for the builders of the 1932 barrage. Did they even consider for even a second that Pakistani engineers could do it??

Recommend 0

Zafar Ahmed

Sep 23, 2017 11:58am

Singapore is a tiny country as compared to Russia, India or U.S. It get independence from Malaysia in 1964. It had GDP per capita of only $4500 only at that time. But with the wise and brilliant leadership and devotions of its people for the progress of the country, it’s GDP per capita is now at the top positions in the world at $ 57,000+ its exports are at $ 600 billion per year with a highly skilled workforce of only 3 million. It is a center of high technology, innovations, with most latest and sophisticated production lines of manufacturing which are mostly exported. The Singapore seaport is the world’s busiest port in the world after Shanghai, huge manufacturing and foreign investment in latest technology items had a tremendous impact on the economic development. It is most competitive, least corrupt and business friendly environment and economy in the world, with high quality education and health system. Singapore spends 4% GDP.

Recommend 0

Zafar Ahmed

Sep 23, 2017 12:08pm

The companies and people are finished due to their fate and time as it is not possible to see 120 years old people. The Engineering has flourished a lot after 1930. The construction techniques, methods, skills, Materials, hydraulics knowledge and technology has changed and improved a lot. The well reputed and professional Pakistani company Descon which has $2.0 billion projects in middle east has just completed 1.4 Km long barrage in replacement of old Khanki barrage constructed in 1890 near Wazirabad. The consultants were from Australian Smec and EGC Pakistanis J/V and completed within time and cost without any delay in 40 months with a cost of 22 billion rupees having flood passing capacity of 11 million cusecs successfully. The Sukkar Barrage is possible to complete within time and cost provided the corrupts are shown their way away from the project.

Recommend 0