MANSEHRA: The World Bank’s security and technical teams on Tuesday visited Upper Kohistan district and met officials to know about security arrangements for the site and workers of Dasu hydropower project.

The visit comes three weeks after a bus explosion in the district left nine Chinese engineers, two Frontier Constabulary personnel and two residents dead.

The World Bank teams will stay in the district until Aug 7 and will meet Chinese engineers and workers.

They separately met chief engineer of the World Bank-funded 4,320 megawatts project Mohammad Mansoor and deputy commissioner of Upper Kohistan Arif Khan Yusufzai on Tuesday and asked them about the bus explosion and security of the Dasu project site and workers, especially Chinese nationals.

Discuss Dasu project security, work resumption with officials

The visitors asked Mr Mansoor about the resumption of work.

They called for foolproof security measures for the project site and workers.

Officials said the World Bank had pledged $588 million direct financing along with a partial credit guarantee of $460 million for the energy project.

Meanwhile, the Wapda’s talks with the ChinaGezhouba Group Company for resumption of project work have reached a deadlock, sources insist.

They told Dawn that the company was shocked over the killing of Chinese workers in the bus blast and raised serious security concerns.

The sources said the Wapda team led by Chairman Muzammil Hussain in the talks was optimistic about the early recommencement of work.

MUHARRAM SECURITY: District police officer Asif Bahadur has urged religious scholars of different schools of thought to help the police ensure peace during Muharram.

“Maintaining peace during Muharram is our collective responsibility, so I hope that no one will deliver hate speeches during the month,” Mr Bahadur told a meeting of Shia ulema and zakirs here on Tuesday.

The DPO met Sunni ulema earlier in the day.

Meanwhile, social activists on Tuesday lauded the role of the Aawaz Forum in bringing women, transgender persons and people with disabilities to the mainstream.

During a function, they praised the British Council for the initiative, which, they insisted, is giving voice to the voiceless in the district.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2021