Will Rs 1.74T Dasu Dam End Loadshedding?
The numbers tell a damning story: What began as a Rs. 479 billion project in 2014 has now tripled to Rs. 1.74 trillion, becoming a case study in how Pakistan mismanages critical infrastructure. As the revised proposal heads to ECNEC for final approval, here’s the unvarnished truth about this hydropower saga.
How We Got Here: A Trilogy of Failures
1. The Money Pit
WAPDA’s approach to budgeting would give any economist nightmares. Documents reveal preventable design changes—like last-minute turbine capacity upgrades—accounted for nearly one-third of cost overruns. Contractors billed millions for “geological surprises” that feasibility studies should have caught years earlier.
2. The Never-Ending Timeline
Originally slated for completion by 2021, the project remains stuck in bureaucratic quicksand. In Upper Kohistan, 143 families still refuse relocation over disputed land valuations, while Islamabad’s approval committees took 11 months just to vet a single design modification.
3. The Accountability Charade
When Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal publicly berated WAPDA last month, it made for great TV. But behind closed doors, the same contractors who botched Neelum-Jhelum are still winning bids. No official has faced consequences for the Rs. 800 billion in taxpayer money already wasted.
Why This Dam (Still) Matters
- Energy Crisis: With power shortfalls hitting 6,000 MW this summer, Dasu’s 2,160 MW could prevent nationwide blackouts
- Economic Lifeline: Every month of delay costs Rs. 45 billion in lost industrial productivity
- Water Wars: The dam could irrigate 1.2 million acres in Punjab and Sindh, where farmers are abandoning fields
What Happens Next?
ECNEC approval is inevitable—the real question is whether anything changes. Three red flags to watch:
- Will WAPDA finally hire international auditors?
- Can the new project director break the contractor cartel?
- Does the government have the guts to prosecute mismanagement?
The Bottom Line:
Pakistan needs this dam yesterday. But unless we fix the corruption and incompetence that created this mess, we’re just building a monument to failure with 1.74 trillion rupees of public money.
Why This Story Matters Now:
With IMF breathing down our necks and climate change accelerating, Pakistan can’t afford another decade of broken promises on critical infrastructure. The Dasu Dam isn’t just about electricity—it’s a test of whether our leaders can actually govern.
