Diamer Basha Dam Project: WAPDA pays Rs677.7m more compensation to Harban's victims
PESHAWAR: Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) paid another Rs. 677.7 million to the affectees of Harban, Upper Kohistan as compensation to their land, acquired for construction of Diamer Basha Dam Project.
The cheques were handed over to the affectees through the Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga in a ceremony at Bushi Das.
The ceremony was attended by GM/PD Diamer Basha Dam Project, Engr. Dr. Nazakat Hussain, DC Upper Kohistan Aziz Ullah Jan, DC Diamer Lt Muhammad Awais Abbasi (retd), the Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga’s members, local elders from Harban and Basha and senior officers of the district administrations, police and WAPDA.
It is important to note that the Thor-Harban Grand Peace Jirga successfully resolved the longstanding boundary dispute in 2022 through negotiations between the tribes of Harban in Upper Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Thor in Diamer district of Gilgit Baltistan, paving the way for payment of compensation to the affected landowners.
WAPDA has so far disbursed over Rs. 4.48 billion to the district administration of Upper Kohistan and more than Rs. 59.76 billion to the district administration of Diamer for compensation of land and property for Diamer Basha Dam Project.
The total disbursement under land acquisition and property compensation for the Project amounts to Rs. 64.24 billion. Of 35,924 acres of land needed for Diamer Basha Dam Project, WAPDA has so far acquired 33,848 acres - 32,428 acres in Gilgit Baltistan and 1,420 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Diamer Basha Dam is a vital project for water, food and energy security of Pakistan. It is being constructed by WAPDA across River Indus to store 8.1 MAF of water and generate 4,500 MW of clean, green and affordable electricity.
On completion, Diamer Basha Dam will irrigate additional 1.2 million acres of land besides contributing 18 billion units of low-cost electricity to the National Grid every year.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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