ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Water Resources on Thursday said that candidates from Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) should be given preference in appointment against vacancies in the Diamer-Bhasha dam project.

The committee was informed by the officials concerned that an amount of Rs12.63 billion had been collected for the construction of Diamar-Bhasha and Mohmand dams from donations. Out of this amount, they added, around Rs46 million had been saved in a bank account whereas the remaining amount had been invested in treasury bills for a three-month duration and the expected profit would also be deposited in the bank account.

When the chairman of the committee, Nawab Mohammad Yousuf Talpur, asked if any money had been spent on advertisements for Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, the committee was informed that no money was spent on the publicity.

The committee directed the officials of the Ministry of Water Resources to submit details of the investment made in treasury bills, including the permission for it.

Rs12bn collected in donations for construction of dams

The standing committee was informed by the officials that the newly created Grade 1-5 posts in the Diamer-Bhasha dam project would be filled in by local candidates from Gilgit-Baltistan. Similarly, 124 posts of Grade 1-16 for the project would also be filled in by the candidates from Gilgit-Baltistan.

The standing committee was informed that the posts of Grade-17 and above would be filled on the quota allocated for different regions; however, the candidates from Gilgit-Baltistan would be given preference.

The committee was informed that about 5,000 posts would be created in the Diamer-Bhasha dam project and the policy of the government, especially that on the quota, would be observed in this regard.

The standing committee was informed that the Sindh Barrage was proposed to be constructed downstream Kotri Barrage and the project was approved by the prime minister in May last year.

However, as the members pointed out that the Sindh irrigation department had reservations over the project, the standing committee said the engineers of Wapda and those of the irrigation department needed to come up with a mutually agreed pre-feasibility report on the project.

The standing committee was informed that according to the Water Accord 1991, Balochistan had to receive 3.87 million acre feet, but the province had been receiving 32 per cent less water than its share for the past 28 years; however, the supply has now resumed as per the share of the province.

The committee chairman expressed serious concern over the reduced water supply to Balochistan in previous years.

The standing committee directed the chairman of Irsa (Indus River System Authority) to ensure proper supply of water to Balochistan.

The committee meeting was attended by Chaudhry Shaukat Ali Bhatti, Dr Mohammad Afzal Khan Dhandla, Chau­dhry Javed Iqbal Warraich, Nau­reen Farooq Ibrahim, Nuzhat Pathan, Khalid Hussain Magsi, Chaudhry Mohammad Hamid Hameed, Ehsan-ur-Rehman Mazari and Afreen Khan.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd, 2020