Talks on resumption of work on Dasu power project remain inconclusive

• Talks between WAPDA and Gezhouba Group Company ended without any result.  
• "It was mutually decided to hold another round of talks to ensure the early resumption of the work on Dasu dam,” said a negotiator.
• "It was mutually decided to hold another round of talks to ensure the early resumption of the work on Dasu dam,” said a negotiator. 

MANSEHRA: Talks remained inconclusive between the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Gezhouba Group Company on the resumption of the work on Dasu Hydropower project, according to a report published in The News.

The work on the 4320 MW Dasu Hydropower project was halted after 13 workers, including nine Chinese nationals, were killed in a bus explosion on July 13. The bus was carrying the workers to an under-construction tunnel of the dam.

One of the negotiators said, “Talks which were postponed earlier last week resumed in presence of the Chinese ambassador Nong Rong but remained inconclusive on the security and other issues.”

“However, it was mutually decided to hold another round of talks to ensure the early resumption of the work on Dasu dam,” he added.

The Wapda’s Chairman Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain led the Wapda in talks with the Chinese consortium.

“Now the army’s brigades deployed in Kohistan district will escort Chinese nationals at work and back to their respective camps via Karakoram Highway,” an official said.

Both sides also discussed the progress made by the Chinese agencies and the Counter Terrorism Department in the Dasu bus explosion investigation.

“The Chinese government is thankful to the government of Pakistan for the provision of facilities and the required security to its national working on the Dasu dam and other projects being executed in Hazara under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Initiative,” Wapda’s members quoted the Chinese ambassador as saying at the joint meeting.