ISLAMABAD, June 5: Amid India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, a worried Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that building new water reservoirs is a national priority.
Addressing a high-level meeting on water security, Shehbaz Sharif urged both the federation and provinces to work together on this. “Construction of non-disputed water reservoirs must be completed on a fast track,” he directed, while assuring that new dams will only be built with the consensus of all provinces, Samaa reported
To take the plan forward, a high-powered committee has been formed under Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.
The committee will evaluate funding strategies for dam construction and includes all five chief ministers, and relevant federal ministers.
Sharif has directed the committee to submit its recommendations within 72 hours.
A detailed briefing during the meeting revealed ongoing work on major dam projects:
Diamer-Bhasha Dam, a crucial reservoir in the north, is under construction and expected to be completed by 2032.
Mohmand Dam is progressing steadily, with completion anticipated by 2027.
Pakistan currently has 11 major dams with a storage capacity of 15.318 million acre-feet.
Meanwhile, 32 dams are under construction under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), while 79 more dams are being built under the Annual Development Programme (ADP).
He warned that India has continued to issue threats regarding water, which Pakistan would confront with “full force and unity”.
“Securing the water needs of 240 million Pakistanis is our duty,” Sharif said.
The meeting concluded with a call to formulate a coordinated national response, including legal, diplomatic, and strategic measures to defend Pakistan’s share of water and ensure long-term sustainability.
(UNI)
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