Rs1 billion donated by overseas Pakistanis for dams since July
146
ISLAMABAD: Overseas Pakistanis have so far contributed around Rs1 billion while local individuals as well as institutions have donated Rs7.47bn to the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams fund, according to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
Within a span of five months, a total of Rs8.46bn was deposited in The Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of Pakistan Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund, the SBP data showed.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took the initiative of collecting donations by launching the fund on July 6 that was later joined by Prime Minister Imran Khan, making it a joint venture to overcome the country’s water scarcity.
Till December 6, according to the SBP, the overseas Pakistanis shared 10.6pc of the total contribution for the construction of the dams.
Locals contribute Rs7.47bn in PM-CJP joint initiative
Earlier, the prime minister in his televised address to the nation had appealed to the estimated nine million overseas Pakistanis, particularly those living in European countries and the United States, to contribute at least $1,000 per head to the noble cause, and warned that Pakistan could face famine-like conditions by 2025 if new water reservoirs were not built.
The CJP recently visited the UK for fundraiser to avert the looming threat of drought in Pakistan in coming years.
Around $14bn (nearly Rs2 trillion as per exchange rate in December) is required for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam.
Within Pakistan, the contributions were made through cheques, cash and mobile phone message service. An amount of Rs125m was received through SMS services of the four cellular phone service companies operating in the country.
Many overseas Pakistanis sent their donations through debit and credit cards, while many others deposited money in the SBP Nostro account and commercial banks overseas.
Most of the foreign donations, around Rs362m, came from the Pakistanis living in the US, followed by around Rs214m from those living in the UK, while those in Canada donated Rs107m.
Other major donations by the overseas Pakistanis came from the United Arab Emirates (Rs65m), Saudi Arabia and Qatar (around Rs40m each), Switzerland (Rs32m) and others.
Generous contributions were also made by the overseas Pakistanis living in Norway, Turkey, Japan, China, Sweden, Russia, Brazil, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Austria, Brunei, Denmark, the Netherland, Belgium, Finland, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Fiji, Ireland, South Korea, Thailand, Oman, Jordan, the Maldives, Nigeria, Peru, Tunisia and the Philippines.
When contacted, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari hailed the contribution from Pakistanis working abroad for the noble cause and said they always came forward to support the country in difficult times.
He announced constitution of an overseas Pakistanis associates committee, which would be mandated to raise fund till the completion of dams. He said the confidence of overseas Pakistanis was boosted after PM Khan assured them of maximum facilitation.
Mr Bukhari pledged to bring in more money from upcoming fundraisers he was scheduled to attend abroad.
Published in Dawn, December 10th, 2018
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (146) Closed
Dec 10, 2018 08:05am
Great work. Now please donate few hundred billion more.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:10am
Around Ruppes 2000 trillion required and 9 trillion collected till date. Long way to go.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:15am
One billion PKR = $ 7 million. Needs $14 billion for the dam today. Probably will go up to $30 billion when completed. At this rate when will be have the money?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:23am
Good going! The idea of IK works nicely.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:27am
I am intrigued by the ‘need’ for making dams at huge cost in funds and environmental impact. It is a much simpler matter to create distributed generation right IN the rivers, and create reservoirs at lower elevations to store water, at much lower cost. The key issue is energy storage !! Some rather simple, low cost, elegant ways exist to do that.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:28am
Thank you all the Overseas Pakistanis for the timely help to the countryl.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:31am
We in USA will contribute generously knowing that the money will be well spent and not looted like what happened in the past. One thing is for sure that IK is honest and has the best interest of Pakistan
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:38am
Only 8 billion rupees? $14 billion is needed, so only 1,992 billion rupees more to go at current exchange rate. You can't build such big projects on donations in such a weak economy.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:41am
0.40% funds raised already.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:45am
good.in this way a nation can be built.a nation can achieve anything it wants."united we achieve"
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:51am
Just don't forget that the dollar has gone from 103 Rs/USD to 140 Rs/USD. The local donations are 40 short.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:55am
That's about USD 7m. USD 14b required to construct only one dam. 7m is 1/2000 of 14b.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:58am
With this speed of funds, we will need 154 years to start construction of the dam!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:59am
That’s not enough to pay even for the drinking water being consumed by the labours on the dam construction site. Anyways, this cause kept Pakistanis busy for several months. Now population growth will keep us all busy for a couple of months by the time a new ray of hope is engineered in another tunnel.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:00am
$ 58million great more will come in coming days.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:01am
good start. water is essential to survive any living being which include humans, animals, trees.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:05am
May be they should get the right to vote as well.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:08am
Good news 0.45 % of Dam find at current rates is ready to go.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:11am
Donations are inadequate to fund $14 billion Daimar Bhasa dam.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:16am
Every ruppee counts so please donate.
By the way, I heard that Zardari, Bilawal, Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif have contributed ZERO ruppees to this dam fund!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:23am
How many billion PKR is 14 billion $
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:23am
Congratulations to the people of Pakistsn in making sincere efforts to build the dam.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:27am
So we have arranged for 50 million USD so far ? And we need 14000 million USD ? That's just depressing.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:32am
I am waiting for Federal Government to float Dam Bonds into the local and international market.
They need Rs.1,500/- billion till the completion of 2 damn.
By donation we cannot crowd the fund to Rs. 1,500/- billion in short span time.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:33am
I disagree to collect money in such a way, It was IK promise to bring the money back and he failed to do so and the robbers are enjoying the party (NS or Zardari)
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:35am
At this rate how will Pakistan build this dam? We need to be realistic and approach WB or other financial institutions for the money.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:47am
Great work. Please use it for the purpose they are collected for . Otherwise trust will go away .
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:51am
All big projects/ developments start with a small step.CJ and IK have big dreams and the Pakistanis will fulfil these.Everything is achievable if we believe it.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:53am
Very commendable.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:56am
@Anti_Corruption_Pakistani, : Provided our people maintain the momentum of donation at same rate/speed. Chances that donations may droop over a period !!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:00am
@Syed , 0.32% to be precise.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:08am
Good, now only 1393 billion are remaining, we will be there in a few hundred years.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:08am
Build the dam on a public private partnership basis, to build and own. Invite investment from Pakistani nationals , in return for life long return. Give sovereign guarentees, legislate to protect the investments.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:17am
Kalabagh Dam ?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:28am
The numbers are misleading. Most of the overseas Pakistanis have made pledges of continuing and/or scheduled payments. Their pledges won’t reflect in the Dam Fund bank account for a while.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:29am
@Justicefirst, Just big words. Not possible for Pakistanis.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:36am
Pakistanis paying for corruption.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:48am
I will give more soon inshallah.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:49am
@Asad, True and yet most of the water in the country goes to these looters fields and industries.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:06am
The contributions look even smaller because of the poor exchange rate of the Pakistan currency .
And the exchange rate is expected to fall further due to IMF instructions.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:09am
Apart from collecting funds, another motive of the Govt is also being achieved that is creating the awareness amongst masses on the issue, and this is more important than the funds itself, otherwise, the situation would face similar consequences like Kalabagh Dam.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:11am
@Asif Lalani, Our current GDP is US$300 billion and with change of clean and focused government,Our economy will rise by at least 10% each thus US$30 billion in first year,we can eadily allocate US$ 2 Billion each year for the dam for next 5-7 years. We can discuss the progress after one year and it is possible for Pakistanis.My dear Indian.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:18am
Where is the contribution from Nawaz and Zardari? Whatever happened to the promise to bring the money back within 100 days? You only need these two to return the looted money and all the dams will be complete.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:19am
Enough money to build a hospital
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:21am
If you can collect 20 to 25%. The rest can be borrowed from international funds
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:23am
Much better option would have been population control or stabilisation.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:24am
IK CJP and likes should understand we don't need patriotism, valor and unity to build dams. We need lot of money to do that. This can't be achieved through donations but with the right allies and friends by your side.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:26am
@Tamza: Then the power to control "Distribution" is lost ...
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:31am
@RAJA CHILL, Did you contribute or not?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:33am
That is just over 7 million dollars. You need 1000 times that amount to build a dam. PM was asking every Pakistani expat to contribute 1000 dollars each.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:41am
Sorry to say, but Technically this can be called Negative collection. per month Collection is not even Interest per month leave the EMI! in other view Cost of Dam might have increased much more due to Rs fell (leaving even other factors aside ). So maybe we can say that money which needed before the collection was much lesser than the money needed now.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:45am
That’s $65 million against an estimated cost cost of $15 billion which will probably rise to $20 billion once the actual construction kicks off. Evokes images of Don Quixote tilting against windmills. We’d probably save more water curbing consumption in official and private mansions. In short, calculate the opportunity cost in terms of pollution, water borne diseases, arsenic poisoning, deprivation in poor urban areas and for poor farmers and price water consumption accordingly on a progressive scale. That will ensure a just and adequate distribution rather than destroying ecosystems and creating huge structures in earthquake-prone areas.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:54am
can we atleast start the project with the money at hand.. There are certain things that Pakistanis expect their government to do. Our infrastructure is vitally important. Putting people back to work with construction is important. Our roads, our bridges, our sewers, our waterways, our dams - this is what makes our country so special and vialbe.. good luck
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:08pm
Last month I asked a question, and I ask it again - what happens if the money falls short and dam cannot be built? Will the money be returned back?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:11pm
@Syed , if you had given it to the Chinese they would have returned you 20%.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:21pm
I am one of the overseas Pakistanis! We are asked to make sacrifices alone. Nobody comes to help us when our investments are robbed in Pakistan. It should be a two way traffic.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:26pm
Good work. Dam building construction is good. However first of all the challenge lies in fixing quick solution to Pakistan's water crisis.
1) Link all the rivers of Pakistan. This will curb the water crisis at least by 80%.
2) Dig new canals and make water available to the deprived areas.
3) The last and least preference must be given to Dams. One Dam for next 5 years is good enough, however the top 2 points must be implemented quickly.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:28pm
@Alla Bux, If you spend even 7 billiion in linking the major rivers, at least 80% of water needs of the people are met....
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:36pm
Good. This is proving to be even better than CPEC
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:36pm
Linking of rivers will help curb floods, save water, irrigate new lands and solve water crisis to a great extent....
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:51pm
@Chi Paak, in 14 Billion USD equals to PKR 2 Trillion and 100 Billion. Figured out as 2,100,000,000,000 at the rate of 150/USD by Dec 2018 Currency rate. As of now donated 8 billion PKR equals to USD 53.33 Millions. Therefore the amount donated is 0.038% of required amount of USD 14 Billion ( I dont know how much is project value but I guess it is 14 Billion)
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:56pm
Very good news so now we can built dam in few weeks and water shortage will be solved . Please overseas donate more specially from USA and UK overseas as they earn more money there as they keep money under pillows due to tax fidling .
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 12:59pm
@Ahmed, "At this rate how will Pakistan build this dam? We need to be realistic and approach WB or other financial institutions for the money."
WB and ADB were approached by PPP and PML-N for Diamer Bhasha but since it is in disputed area, they refused funding without NOC from India. Pakistan tten tried to include this in CPEC but the financing terms offered by China for this project were so onerous that Pakistan backed out. In the meantime, the PTI government has cut tge amount allocated to making dams in the PSDP from the level qllocated by PML-N.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:02pm
It is for the Noble cause. I am interested to know how much has been contributed by personally Imran Khan, Asif Zardari family, Sahrif family, Chaudhry family, Ministers, member parliament's, industrialists etc.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:03pm
@Ahmed, Well said.What you said is only a viable mean of finance to such a big project. Look at the donation collected so far is 0.040% of total requirements of 14b USD. It looks all childish play. Patriotism and playing for galleries is one thing and practical implementation of big dream needs a practical and professional approach. I guess, people sitting in government are wise enough to know this.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:19pm
How much have the politicians, civil servants, Police and army officers contributed? Why always ask civilians to do sacrifice?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:26pm
This collection is inadequate to fund a dam. What Pakistan can do is utilize this amount effectively to improve its existing water management system so that wastage is minimized and better distribution of water is achieved.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:27pm
Good job pakistanis in the next 20 years there will be a dam....
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:34pm
@RAJA CHILL, let me correct its 14 trillion Pakistani Rupees required not 2000 trillion.....guide me if i am wrong
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:35pm
Just look at the disparity and the generosity of the two groups.
Overseas Pakistanis, which are estimate between 1 to 1.5 million in total worl-wide contributed over 13% of the total amount.
Yet the locals, who will be directly effected or benefit from the damn, gave the other 87 %.
Considering the total population of Pakistan at around 200 million, it is very interesting to see who has more concerns for the country. The 0.05% of the population which lives outside the country, verses 99.5% which should be more willing to give for this important project, rather than just whining about what the government isn't doing for them, or how bad things are in the country!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:40pm
@Markhor , I will donate. Waiting for fund raising campaign in India.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:48pm
Industrialist shall be asked to build and generate cheap hydel electricity for their industries otherwise they would steal the electricity build on the common people donations and no electricity would be available for household as usual.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:51pm
Ask China to help?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:52pm
PML-N people are not donating any money for the dams , but would be the top beneficiaries in the end by stealing the same electricity for their commercial and industrial complexes as usual.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 01:58pm
@Justicefirst, Sir, state of Maharashtra has GDP of 390 billion $ in 2018 and population of 112 millions. And still they find difficult to fund projects worth 500 millions$. So just figure out if it is as easy as you want to believe. I am not against your faith in completing this Dam project by crowd funding and also govt. help. I am highly skeptical about it. Good luck.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:03pm
@Chi Paak, Very simple. Multiply 14 by 144 and you will get the answer. If you can fast track donations you should be able to reach your target in less than 50 years.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:03pm
@FARRUKH,
U have Chinese by your side and perhaps saudis too .
Ask them to help and take help if their terms are acceptable to you .
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:06pm
I say to all those pessimistic people, be positive and appreciate the initiative taken by both honerable CJP and PM Imran Khan to build Bhasha Dam. There is no doubt, we have three major and urgent problems to address and contribute positively - 1. Corruption, 2. Shortage of water and other resources and, 3. Increased population growth rate. Let's focus on these key issues and do our utmost best to contribute and support them without being nitpicking and negative. We all have to come out of our comfort ZONES!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:09pm
At least work could be started on site with little money. Govt should introduce private public partnership to raise funds.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:09pm
A very good begining. Thanks CJP and PM IK.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:11pm
Regardless the amount collected so far, this is a positive initiative. Thus can also be called as a nit political decision as well because CJoP never acknowledged that these dam initiatives were taken by the PMLN.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:15pm
It reminds me of a joke...how many pakistanis does it take to change a light bulb ...one man changes the light bulb and rest of the country goes around to collect the funds
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:16pm
This number doesn't reflect oversees Pakistanis who asked their relatives to donate on their behalf rather than making a direct payment via credit cards or other sources to Govt account. I personally donated Rs. 100,000 by asking my father to make a deposit on my behalf.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:16pm
I appreciate our PM & CJ, but this could be the biggest scam in the history of Pakistan. After all the donations, if the dam is not built.....no one will ever help the country. We still need to see results from PTI - for now its all talk. If any foreign power attacks, all the donations would be diverted to feed the services and there goes the dam project.
We all work hard for our money and need to be sure. IK is a great leader, but he is not playing cricket !!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:24pm
@RAJA CHILL,
Usual trolls are so obsessed about us that they have forgotten all about home.
According to a government report earlier this year, India is facing its worst-ever water crisis, with some 600 million people affected. The report said the crisis was "only going to get worse" in the coming years and warned that 21 cities were likely to run out of groundwater by 2020.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:31pm
A long way to go but a very noble beginning at the initiative of CJP. But it is a well.known fact that the final cost may escalate to the extent where it becomes a non ending campsign.. But well beginning is half done
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:34pm
How much time to collect US$ 14 Billions as donations by Non residents Pakistanis. By that time the cost of the project/dam increases by more than double.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:36pm
@RAJA CHILL, Chinese proverb, ‘ A journey of 1000 miles begins with one step’. Take heart, collecting $7 million is a big achievement. As funds grow, people will donate more over the yesrs. By then government will be in better economic position to contribute $6/7 billion. People and business will do the rest. Sikhs in Canada contributed $50 thousand towards the dam.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:37pm
@Alla Bux, Its an initiative. No harm in it. This could be used as seed capital for project financing.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:43pm
7 billion are peanuts for the construction of dams.It is not feasible to construct dams like this.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:45pm
@Alla Bux, The total funds collected is 8.46 billion PKR which roughly sums up to $61 million. Looks like there is still a lot more.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 02:57pm
I am a true supporter of IK but i disagree with him on donations. He needs to get this money from corrupt leaders like NS and Zardari...period...no other solution...
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 03:58pm
Are the overseas pakistanis are still non fillers?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:00pm
@Justicefirst, good you are optimistic sir... 10 percent annual growth rate is an ambitious target.. All the best....
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:04pm
@bhaRAT©, yes india is facing a drought even with hundreds of dams.... The point is inspite of having hundreds of dams... It is lesson for Pakistan to build more dams and faster...
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:17pm
Each drop of water make up the whole sea. Lets hope for the best.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:27pm
@RAJA CHILL, Yes I too want to contribute.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:31pm
This in about 3 months! A great start. Dams will happen.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:45pm
Thank you overseas Pakistan what a blessing to have such loyal citizens even though they don't live with us they are still praying and helping Pakistan. Please keep sending billions each month as we need it this time Prime Minister is honest like President Musharraf, since many ministers are the same as President Musharraf.
Pakistan Zindabad!
Overseas Pakistanis Zindabad!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:46pm
Peanuts.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 04:52pm
@Amit Gaikwad, Thanks,it is always achievable even better but we missed the train after 1960 and now we have again boarded with a visionary leader.Thanks again.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 05:12pm
People will keep doubting but the giving nature of my Pak people is something most will not understand until the job is done they see the fruit. Love you Pak people. I'm proud of to be part of Pak Dharti Maa my country, my people and my beloved motherland.
Pakistan Zindabad!
Go Green!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 05:13pm
@Asif Lalani, Thanks for your valuable comparison.Pakistan has an area of around 900 k square km with population of more than 200 million with vast resources and NRP of 8 million with new government which is honest,dedicated,focused,educated,knowlegeable and visionary leadership and this is first time in 70 years,so we have to be positive too. After sometime you will love to have a leader someone like IK to lead India too.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 05:13pm
@yasir Iqbal, there was a typo in my comment. Actually $14bn is required for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam which converts to Rs 2000 billion ( not trillion) and collected figure is 8 billion in rupees.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 05:32pm
That amount is nothing against what require to build a dam. Take new loan from china, that might help.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 05:35pm
@Amit Gaikwad,
"@bhaRAT©, yes india is facing a drought even with hundreds of dams.... The point is inspite of having hundreds of dams... It is lesson for Pakistan to build more dams and faster..."
No, you're actually missing his point altogether. His point is if your water crisis is far worse, why are you all so obsessed with reading about ours? It's a simple point he makes, and a very valid one.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 05:59pm
How about making friends with India, then we don't need to build these dams. After all, we were single country 70 years back.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 06:24pm
@RAJA CHILL, “..Long way to go...” a long journey starts with a small step in the right direction... this has been taken..
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 06:37pm
While people in the country and overseas Pakistanis are happily donating for the Dam Fund, other nationals are also joining the cause as they want to help Pakistan. Sikhs in Canada have collected $100,000 with a goal of one million dollars. This noble gesture of friendship and solidarity is greatly appreciated by the people of Pakistan.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 06:39pm
I am of Pakistani origion living in UK I attended the Bhasha Dam fundraising event in Manchester and we raised 40 crore rupees in a single even. Reading some of the negative comments below I feel we shouldn't have bothered. Remember none of the overseas Pakistanis had to donate their hard earned money they will not benefit from it.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 06:49pm
Still could not manage to complete one percent of the requirement.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 06:54pm
sorry my question, why was this not done 5, 10, 20, 30 years ago? we must have wasted so much drinking water all these years now we are suffering water shortage. also i was on news landowners in Sindh, have been stilling water for decades for their land and agriculture whilst the poor people have been suffering and dying how cruel are these landowners! likes of Zidari , Balawar etc.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 07:08pm
@Shabbir, overseas Pakistanis pay tax in the country they reside.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 07:11pm
Thousands mile journey begins with a first step inshala we will make it amenen
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 07:23pm
Drop by drop we are getting there but why we waste water by liters?
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 07:30pm
Thus far $58.8 million collected. Assuming $14 billion required, less than 0.5% has been collected.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:03pm
What can you say, but a damn good start! Before the drips lead to opening of the flood-gates of donations!
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:07pm
@Karam S. Khan, change your ‘glass is half full....’ mentality. Your PM is winner and honest. His heart is sincere for pakistan. He will deliver what he sets out to do. Support him.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:10pm
@Ram, Hang around to see a marvel achieved. Soon only the shortfall will be 0.38%. You should know this is Pakistan, we always achieve the near impossible.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:10pm
@Khanm,
Wish if it was possible.
I guess not enough even to appoint project management consultant, considering the size of project. Even if you start and funding becomes a repetitive problem. You would end up losing all money. Neither here nor there.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 08:38pm
you should not underestimate local people's generosity for the good
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 09:35pm
The fund is a good start, but we all know most has to be founded by the government
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:35pm
Current budget for dam is $14 billion and consider say 5% inflation in budget for every year delay. In five months donations collected is approx. $60 million. If this continues and not even considering 5% inflation, this will take more than 100 years to collect funds. But after 100 years budget for dam will be $ 50 billion so back to square one. Not sure whom these people collecting donations making fool of.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 10:43pm
So we are nowhere near the required targets, as expected.
Recommend
0
Dec 10, 2018 11:50pm
its a good start, atleast the government is trying to do something, good thing we didn't take Chinese money, we talk about not wanting foreign governments to have influence and not be their "hired gun", we are their hired guns because we dont pay for our own stuff. we all have to sacrifice and give money whether directly to the fund or pay our taxes if we want to build our infrastructure. Government also needs to have a private business opportunity by giving them ownership or profits from the electric generation, we would also add taxes for bottled water companies that make money by selling water to pay for these dams.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 01:48am
NITI Aayog the national economic advisory council in India estimates that India needs about $4.5 trillion in the next 25 years to fund infrastructure expenditure.
Going by the population count, Pakistan would need about one-sixth of this amount?
Good luck.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 03:22am
Zardari could do it single handedly...... can't he ?????
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 03:50am
A drop in the bucket. Not a practical approach to dam building.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 04:19am
As a reciprocating gesture, Supreme Court and government of Pakistan have destroyed their properties in Bahria Town. Thank you, CJP and Naya Pakistan!
Hameed Khan
Dallas, Tx
USA
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 04:58am
House decoration fund for all PTI and other Ministers increased from a few lachs to 5.5 crores.
Probably more money spent on this Ayashi than the amount paid by hard earning individuals for this publicity fund.
The protocol around every Minister,, MNAs ,MPAs , Judges and their families is again costing in billions.
Free foreign treatment on tax payers expenses for all these people.
The list is never ending. If only half of these Ayashis are reduced we can make not one but two Dams.
Please stop emotionally blackmailing your country loving Pakistanis.
Sort your own house first. Was very hopeful things will improve but sadly every coming week is worse.
Long live Pak land.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 06:26am
Our generous brotherly countries like S.A, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Malaysia, Turkey, Burnai and more, may most likely be willing to contribute for this cause.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 06:29am
@Anti_Corruption_Pakistani, True. To speed up the project I suggest we bring back the looted money from Zardari and Sharif. Conservative estimates are about $12 billion looted by Zardari and about $10 billion by Nawaz Sharif.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 06:42am
@Toshiza, BUT, did YOU contribute or not?
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 07:16am
Seems like locals are more generous than foreigner Pakistanis...
yet Zulfi sahab didn't bother to praise the poor locals too.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 10:09am
@Tamza, Totally agree, is this about water storage or power generation. If it is about water storage, this can be done and in fact should be done in simpler, in expensive ways as the writer mentions, or by building huge underground water storage tanks as done in Japan and many other locations around the world, water storage tanks are covered at the top and prevent huge amounts of water evaporating into the atmosphere, with the global warming evaporation is going to increase. It is very important to carry out informed studies about the whole project so we make best use of our resources.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 11:15am
Pakistan has to think in every possible way on how to save water, and there many ways to do this, this is the real challenge, on how to think small, and implement things, instead of thinking on mega schemes and depending on one source.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 03:54pm
And they allow only one mobile to bring. people have upto four mobiles for personal use. and the policy is salient in many places.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 04:24pm
@Ayesha , because of so slow & so little contribution.
Recommend
0
Dec 11, 2018 05:44pm
@Imtiaz Ali Khan, In Pakistan we say ‘ Pak sarzameen’ not ‘ Dharti mata’, that is Indian slogan. Get it right.
Recommend
0
Dec 12, 2018 01:03am
So in today's rupee value, that's Rs 144 billion, that at least builds the structure I hope, get going before we find other reasons to spend the money
Recommend
0
Dec 12, 2018 01:04am
Hope that money is sitting in a bank and drawing a lot of interest with each passing day, even at 4%, that would be a lot more money in the bank in 12 months, without adding a single rupee.
Recommend
0
Dec 12, 2018 02:34am
This adds up to 0.4% of the money needed. Seems like an impossible task but it is not.
- the campaign is only 2 months old and gathering momentum
- we don't have to collect the full amount upfront
Option 1: Work can start now and we collect money and pay in stages
Option 2: Once a certain amount is collected, it can be used to secure a loan
Option 3: Public-private partnership
Option 4: Build smaller dams elsewhere
There are are many ways to complete the project if we have to will to get the job done. We should have built dams decades ago our leaders were too busy robbing the country. The choice is clear; build infrastructure to manage water now or face famine.
Recommend
0
Dec 12, 2018 03:33am
@Khurram, No first clean up your corruption and hold people accountable. Americans will donate, but where not here to support the Bhutto and Sharif family lifestyles. Electing Imran Khan was a good start.
Recommend
0
Dec 12, 2018 05:06am
@Zak, " In Pakistan we say ‘ Pak sarzameen’ not ‘ Dharti mata’, that is Indian slogan. Get it right."
First of all Pak sarzameen or Dharti mata are not slogans. They are a respectful way of referring to your motherland. Also sarzameen is an Urdu word and in Sindhi it is Dharti Mata. As long as he is addressing the motherland with respect, why do you want to enforce the language he does it in?
Recommend
0
Dec 12, 2018 07:21am
@ik murd uk, "also i was on news landowners in Sindh, have been stilling water for decades for their land and agriculture whilst the poor people have been suffering and dying how cruel are these landowners! "
--------------
Is it because food is not required in Pakistan?
Recommend
0
Dec 12, 2018 09:54am
@Zak, My Dharti Maa. Pakistan ZIndabad! Did I get it right?
Recommend
0
