BEIJING - Forty years after it was first envisaged, Pakistan tied up with China once again to build the multi-billion dollar Diamer-Bhasha dam, reports Gwadar Pro on Saturday. The report stated that Prime Minister Imran Khan has already issued directions for immediate start of construction work on the dam. The Wapda awarded a contract valued at around $5.8 billion to a joint venture of Power China and Frontier Works Organization (FWO) for the construction of the diversion system, main dam, and Access Bridge for the 4500MW dam, as well as the 21MW Tangir hydropower project.
The Power China has long been engaged in the core business areas of water and electricity and has established itself as a leading enterprise in the hydropower industry both in China and abroad. Particularly following the “Belt and Road Initiative”, Power China has actively participated in some key overseas projects, such as the Pakistan’s Qasim coal-fired power plant.The company deals with thermal power and power grid. It has also been working for equipment manufacturing and leasing. Over 17,000 Chinese workers are expected to land up in the sparsely inhabited Bashar region of Khyber Pakhtunkwa (KPK) Province. These workers will stay for almost eight years until the dam construction is completed. On the other hand, The FWO is a military engineering organization, and one of the major science and technology commands of the Pakistan Army.