President Asif Ali Zardari called upon the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday to start liquidating funds for the Diamer Bhasha Dam as the project had been approved at all internal forums of the country.
Addressing two separate meetings at the Aiwan-e-Sadar, Zardari said this project would help store water, produce inexpensive hydro energy up to 4500MW, ensure food and water security and increase cultivatable lands. The president said the government was committed to reforming the energy sector as availability of sufficient energy was critical to economic and social development in the country.
He said a committee chaired by the finance minister had been constituted to formulate plans to address various energy issues in the short and the long run. The president also stressed improvement of communication infrastructure to promote inter- and intra- state trade activities. He said Pakistan provided the shortest possible sea access to many countries of Central Asia due to its geo-strategic location.
He said regional countries could tap the real potential of trade through a better road infrastructure and a well-designed communication network.The president also sought support from Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) in construction of roads linking Pakistan to Central Asia. Pakistan had become a member of CAREC in October last year.
