Pakistan’s flagship water and hydropower initiatives are facing steep delays as funding shortfalls and rising construction costs push completion timelines into decades — and in some projections, centuries — according to reporting by Samaa TV cited by ANI.
The situation threatens long-term water security and energy planning. Several projects once touted as solutions to persistent shortages are now projected to take far longer than originally anticipated if annual budget allocations continue at current levels.
Key examples:
– Dasu Hydropower Project: Estimated cost has risen to about PKR 1.74 trillion. Officials warn that, without increased and steady financing, the dam could take roughly 65 years to complete. The government has sought PKR 145 billion in the next federal budget to sustain construction.
– Diamer-Bhasha Dam: The project’s cost has surpassed PKR 1.04 trillion, while proposed funding for the coming fiscal year is just PKR 93.77 billion. At current funding rates the dam could require around 46 years to finish.
– Mohmand Dam: Costs now exceed PKR 337 billion. Authorities say, barring a significant funding boost, the project may need another 14 years to reach completion.
Urban and irrigation schemes are similarly affected. The Kachhi Canal Project may take more than a century to finish under present financing patterns. Karachi’s K-IV water supply scheme, now priced at over PKR 175 billion, could be another decade away from operation.
Even smaller projects show alarming timelines in official estimates: Naulong Dam faces a projected 122-year completion horizon, and the Chashma Right Bank Canal is cited as potentially taking nearly 1,900 years if funding remains unchanged. A separate flood protection programme valued at PKR 194 billion may also remain incomplete for centuries based on current allocation trends.
Officials and analysts warn these stretched timetables will hamper Pakistan’s ability to manage water resources and meet growing demand for electricity and irrigation, unless financing strategies are restructured and sustained. The figures and timelines referenced come from Samaa TV’s review of official documents and were reported by ANI.
(This article is based on syndicated reporting; the publisher assumes no responsibility for independent verification of the original feed.)
