LAHORE: While welcoming the setting up of a new deadline for Diamer-Bhasha dam, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has said that the mega project would serve as future lifeline for the country, would improve energy mix, curtail huge oil import bill and bring down the cost of doing business.

“It is a matter of concern that despite having enriched with all resources for water, which is called white gold throughout the world, Pakistan is one of those countries where water scarcity is getting severe,” the LCCI President Mian Nauman Kabir said in a statement.

He said that Pakistan is in a dire need of energy mix, to curtail the huge oil import bill and to bring down the cost of doing business as these issues are hampering the economic growth.

The LCCI President said that water storage capacity of the country has gone down horribly and those people are responsible who are opposing the important water and power projects. He said that Pakistan is an agrarian country and cannot afford water dearth at any cost.

He said that country is dependent on only two big dams including Tarbela and Mangla. It is a matter of concern that water storage capacity of the two dams has been reduced significantly and situation would be more concerning with the passage of time.

Mian Nauman Kabir said that 4500 MW Diamer-Bhasha dam project is of immense importance for the national economy. The deadline of 2026-27 instead of 2029 set by the Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharis is a very good sign as the project would bring a revolution in power and agriculture sectors.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022