Rs9bn collected in dams fund so far

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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister and Chief Justice of Pakistan’s (CJP) Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund has so far received over Rs9 billion.

According to an update issued by State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the countrywide contribution to the fund stands at around Rs8 billion while the remaining one billion rupees were contributed by expatriate Pakistanis.

SBP has also directed commercial banks not to charge any service fee on the donations made to the dam fund through payment cards.

CJP Nisar on Sunday said that ‘I am Pakistan’ campaign has gained momentum and a large number of Pakistanis are giving funds for the construction of dams.

In an interview with a private news channel, he said that the motive to initiate the campaign around the world was to create awareness among overseas Pakistani about the importance of dams’ construction in the country.

The chief justice said that he would visit North America soon to attend the dams fundraising campaign. Responding to another question about the cost of Mohmand Dam’s construction, CJP Nisar said that around $14 billion are required for construction of the dam.

Meanwhile, the chief justice, while taking notice of scheduled execution of a prisoner Khizer Hayat, a mentally ill prisoner on death row in Central Jail Kot Lakhpat, suspended his sentence till further orders. The notice was taken on media reports that a district and sessions judge has scheduled execution of a mentally ill prisoner on Tuesday. He was diagnosed as a schizophrenic by jail medical authorities. The chief justice also fixed the matter for hearing on Monday.