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Govt Expedites Dams Amid India Tensions
- On May 26, 2025, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal declared that Pakistan will speed up the development of key hydroelectric initiatives such as the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams to strengthen the country's water security amid ongoing disputes with India.
- This acceleration follows India’s unilateral suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and its plans to increase water diversion from rivers feeding Pakistani farms, citing retaliation for a deadly April attack in IIOJK.
- Pakistan faces a Rs2 trillion budget shortfall, limiting development funds to Rs1 trillion, prompting caps on low-priority projects while prioritising infrastructure and defence spending to safeguard sovereignty.
- Iqbal emphasized that ensuring the security of Pakistan's water resources is a top priority and noted that over a thousand agricultural engineers have been sent to China for training, aiming to complete their programs this year and drive an agricultural Green Revolution 2.0.
- The government aims to complete key projects quickly and increase defence spending for national security, emphasizing political unity and the duty to support armed forces amid continued regional challenges.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Govt expedites dams amid India tensions
Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said the government would expedite the completion of all hydro-related projects, including Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, to prevent India from gaining any strategic advantage. "We are prioritising them so that Pakistani water is secure," Iqbal said while speaking to a delegation of engineers led by Secretary General Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) Engr Ameer Zameer. He stated that work on hydro…
Planning Minister hints at raising defence budget due to regional security situation
It is a national duty to provide armed forces whatever they need in this budget to bolster the country’s defense: Ahsan Iqbal LAHORE: Federal Minister for Planning Development & Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday hinted at raising the defense budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 following the recent escalation with India and New Delhi’s suspension of decade-long water-sharing Indus Water Treaty. The minister was talking with repo…
Pakistan to expedite hydropower projects after India suspends water treaty
An aerial view of the Dasu Hydropower Project. — Wapda website/FileISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday announced that the government would accelerate work on key hydropower projects, including the Diamer Bhasha Dam, in response to India’s unilateral...
Govt set to raise defence budget, says Ahsan Iqbal
ISLAMABAD Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has confirmed that the defence budget will be increased in the upcoming fiscal plan, while also assuring that the government intends to provide relief to the public. He added that there was no pressure from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the finalisation of the budget. Addressing a delegation of engineers led by the Institution of Engineers Pakistan (IEP) Secretary General, Engineer Am…
Run-of-river projects better than damming the Siang
Editor, As India marches towards energy security and development, the question is not whether we need power but how we generate it. The 10,000 mw dam proposed on the Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh has been touted as a landmark hydroelectric leap. But as we weigh the benefits, it becomes clear: there is a better […]
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