Sunder singh
Regular Member
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2012
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ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has
asked India to stop opposing the
construction of Diamer-Bhasha
Dam at various international
financial institutions (IFIs), as
New Delhi's opposition to the
vital dam was casting a
negative impact on the ongoing
Indo-Pak peace process, besides
causing huge loss to the
country's exchequer.
India is against the construction
of Diamer-Bhasha dam on
grounds that it is located in the
'disputed territory' of Gilgit-
Baltistan and hence it has been
opposing Islamabad's endeavors
to seek the required financial
assistance for the important
project from multilateral
creditors.
"Through diplomatic channels,
Pakistan is trying to impress
upon India to drop its
opposition to the mega water
project as it is vital for the
struggling economy of the
country and also that New
Delhi's decision to oppose the
dam is also not based on
principles, as the people of this
areas had themselves decided
their accession to Islamabad,"
said a diplomatic source,
seeking anonymity.
He said India had also been told
that its opposition to the dam
was impacting the ongoing
peace process between the
nuclear neighbors and hence it
was required to review its
decision.
Owing to the reluctance of IFIs
like Asian Development and
World Bank to extend funds for
the Diamer-Basha Dam, a huge
loss of $2.5b in the cost of the
construction has already been
caused to Pakistan's exchequer.
The cost of Diamer-Bhasha Dam
was estimated at around $11
billion in 2009, which however,
has now reached at around $13
billion with an increase of
$2.5billion due to the delay in
the financing of the project.
A Pakistani official, who also
sought anonymity, said the dam
had a storage capacity of about
eight million acre feet (MAF)
and the expected electricity
generation was 4,500MWs.
He said the project was
supposed to be completed by
2017 but due to some financial
problems, the dam construction
was expected to be delayed by
three to four years.
The ADB has reportedly
committed $4.5 billion to $5
billion for construction of the
project. The bank had also
pledged that it would act as the
government's investment
banker in raising the money
from international capital
markets to meet funding
requirements.
Similarly, the World Bank too
is reluctant to provide funds for
this dam on grounds that India
is opposing the project.
The official said the good thing
so far was that United States
had assured Pakistan to extend
around $500 million in
assistance for the mega project
from the $7.5 billion Kerry
Lugar assistance package for
Islamabad.
Pakistan is also seeking Chinese
assistance for the construction
of dam. The official said
Pakistan would not seek an NOC
from India for Diamer-Bhasha
Dam but it would continue to
nudge New Delhi against the
blocking of financial assistance
to the project at the IFIs.
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/09/24/news/national/pakistan-asks-india-to-stop-opposing-diamer-dam/
asked India to stop opposing the
construction of Diamer-Bhasha
Dam at various international
financial institutions (IFIs), as
New Delhi's opposition to the
vital dam was casting a
negative impact on the ongoing
Indo-Pak peace process, besides
causing huge loss to the
country's exchequer.
India is against the construction
of Diamer-Bhasha dam on
grounds that it is located in the
'disputed territory' of Gilgit-
Baltistan and hence it has been
opposing Islamabad's endeavors
to seek the required financial
assistance for the important
project from multilateral
creditors.
"Through diplomatic channels,
Pakistan is trying to impress
upon India to drop its
opposition to the mega water
project as it is vital for the
struggling economy of the
country and also that New
Delhi's decision to oppose the
dam is also not based on
principles, as the people of this
areas had themselves decided
their accession to Islamabad,"
said a diplomatic source,
seeking anonymity.
He said India had also been told
that its opposition to the dam
was impacting the ongoing
peace process between the
nuclear neighbors and hence it
was required to review its
decision.
Owing to the reluctance of IFIs
like Asian Development and
World Bank to extend funds for
the Diamer-Basha Dam, a huge
loss of $2.5b in the cost of the
construction has already been
caused to Pakistan's exchequer.
The cost of Diamer-Bhasha Dam
was estimated at around $11
billion in 2009, which however,
has now reached at around $13
billion with an increase of
$2.5billion due to the delay in
the financing of the project.
A Pakistani official, who also
sought anonymity, said the dam
had a storage capacity of about
eight million acre feet (MAF)
and the expected electricity
generation was 4,500MWs.
He said the project was
supposed to be completed by
2017 but due to some financial
problems, the dam construction
was expected to be delayed by
three to four years.
The ADB has reportedly
committed $4.5 billion to $5
billion for construction of the
project. The bank had also
pledged that it would act as the
government's investment
banker in raising the money
from international capital
markets to meet funding
requirements.
Similarly, the World Bank too
is reluctant to provide funds for
this dam on grounds that India
is opposing the project.
The official said the good thing
so far was that United States
had assured Pakistan to extend
around $500 million in
assistance for the mega project
from the $7.5 billion Kerry
Lugar assistance package for
Islamabad.
Pakistan is also seeking Chinese
assistance for the construction
of dam. The official said
Pakistan would not seek an NOC
from India for Diamer-Bhasha
Dam but it would continue to
nudge New Delhi against the
blocking of financial assistance
to the project at the IFIs.
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/09/24/news/national/pakistan-asks-india-to-stop-opposing-diamer-dam/