ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) Chairman Javed Saleem Qureshi on Thursday offered his institution’s services for the construction of Diamer Basha Dam with an approximate cost of Rs500 billion.
The offer was made by PEC chairman while talking to media.
He said the engineering council is ready to save Rs200 billion of the exchequer. He said that the absence of engineers in the policy formulation is a major cause in the increase of circular debts.
He said, “We don’t have BS-21 and BS-22 grades engineers in the country yet whereas these officers make the country policy.” He said the law enforced punishment for non-engineers working in the engineering field. He regretted that non-engineers were involved in the formulation of mega-engineering projects.
He said the collection of donation for the construction of the dam will take time. He, therefore, suggested constructing dthe am with Sukuk bonds. Qureshi further said the production of electricity will be cheap as compare to Thermal coal.
He demanded of the government to eliminate all non-engineers from the project and hire professional engineers on these posts. He said the hiring of non-professional engineers would cause the hefty increase in the circular debit of Rs1.5 trillion.
Qureshi said a public limited company should be established for the construction of the dam. The government can sell the shares of the company and it can be given for 10 years lease to share profit with the share holders.