Pakistan seeks $273m from Friends for Basha dam: The News

By By Mehtab Haider
ISLAMABAD: The country sought $273 million from the Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) for construction of multi-billion-dollar Diamer-Basha dam in the next fiscal year 2009-10, it is learnt.

According to a financial summary tabled before the FoDP, a copy of which is exclusively available with The News, for establishing Gwadar linkages with China, Afghanistan and upgradation of Karakoram Highway (Mansehra to Sazin 258km), Pakistan has sought $594 million and $256 million respectively from the donors.

For establishing a new railway link connecting Gwadar Port to Mastung/Quetta, Pakistan has sought $1.342 billion over a period of nine years. The government asked the donors to provide $30.388 billion for 24 development projects over a span of 5 to 11 years. The government plans to launch National Employment Programme and for that it sought $321 million from the donors.

For Thar coal development, the government has sought $1.750 billion from the FoDP over the next five years. In first year, it requires $20 million in first year, $355 million in second year, $359 million in third year, $516 million in fourth year and $500 million in fifth year.

For construction of Diamer Basha Dam in water sector, the government has asked the donors to provide $5 billion over the next 11 years out of which in first fiscal year, Pakistan requires $273m, second year $183 million, third year $349m, fourth year $663m, fifth year $663m, sixth year $741m, seventh year $767m, eighth year $555m, ninth year $302m, tenth year $252m and eleventh year $252m.

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