A delegation of National Security Workshop, under the aegis of National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad headed by Major General Asif Ali, visited WAPDA House. The delegation comprised of Senators, Members of the National Assembly, Members of the Provincial Assemblies, Bureaucrats, Ambassadors and Senior Officers from the Armed Forces.
WAPDA Chairman, Lieutenant General Muzammil Hussain (Retd) while briefing the delegation about the current situation said that harnessing water and hydropower resources is a must for water, food and energy security of Pakistan. He said that in wake of initiating construction work on Mohmand Dam this May, Diamer Basha Dam and Sindh Barrage are the two priority projects for WAPDA.
The delegation was informed that WAPDA plans to add five Million Acre Feet (MAF) to water storage and 4600 Megawatt (MW) hydropower generation in short term up to 2025; another eight MAF water storage and 16000 MW power generation in medium term up to 2030 and 28 MAF water storage and 18400 MW generation in long term up to 2050 with completion of its various projects.
WAPDA Chairman, dilating upon the water challenges, said that a major paradigm shift to the existing development mechanism in Pakistan is direly needed to thwart the looming water crisis and handle the monster of circular debt in power sector. There has to be innovative financing strategies with less dependence on the Government, institutional robustness and capacity building of local Consultants besides policy, technology, entrepreneur interface.
