LAHORE – WAPDA has failed to avail the opportunity to fill Mangla Dam despite prevalence of severe energy crisis in the country. In addition, it could not fulfill its commitment to settle people who had suffered as a result of Mangla Dam Raising Project.
This was disclosed by Azad Kashmir Minister for Information and Overseas Kashmiris Mahmood Riaz, while addressing members of the Lahore Economic Journalists Association (LEJA) at the Lahore Press Club on Wednesday. LPC Vice President Zahid Abid, LEJA President Syed Jawwad Rizvi, Vice President Mian Shahid Nadeem, General Secretary Imran Adnan, Finance Secretary Muhammad Rizwan Ali and other members participated in the meeting.
The AJK minister stated that it was Pakistan’s first opportunity to fill the Mangla reservoir to its extended level. He underlined that WAPDA had completed construction work in remarkable time but was unable to complete the housing colony and settle affected people in a timely manner. Mahmood Riaz said that AJK had tremendous potential for hydroelectric power generation and a number of investors were keen to spend in the energy sector.
However, AJK did not possess authority to initiate any power project larger than 100MW. The minister apprised LEJA members regarding construction activity on Neelum Jehlum Hydroelectric Power Project. A Chinese firm had completed the construction of tunnels, while residual work would be finished in six months. However, he pointed out that power generation would start in 2018, as it was a gigantic project. In addition, he disclosed that around 20 small power projects were in different stages, which would generate 700MW of electricity.
Mahmood Riaz said that Pakistan should have developed dams much earlier as energy demand in Pakistan had significantly increased in the previous decade. The federal government should plead Pakistan’s case according to the Indus Water Treaty, while United Nations and the World Bank should also play their role to resolve the water dispute, he added. Highlighting investment avenues in tourism and trade, he said that the Azad Jammu Kashmir government had announced establishment of a free zone in Mirpur.
Proposals to set up special power lines from the Mangla Dam were also under consideration, he added. Punjab was a major trade partner of Azad Kashmir, but the poor road infrastructure was hurting trade between the state and the largest province of Pakistan, he said.
