KOHISTAN: The Chinese company working at the Dasu dam construction project in Upper Kohistan resumed work Monday after three months and 10 days.
A prayer ceremony was held at the dam site in the Barseen area of Upper Kohistan. It was attended by officials of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and the company.
The deputy commissioner of Upper Kohistan confirmed the resumption of work at the dam site. “The security of Dasu project area has been substantially improved by Wapda and the site work will be resumed gradually from October 25, 2021,” a notification issued by the company stated.
According to the spokesperson of the Chinese company, the Dasu dam project will be completed in several phases.
A coronavirus vaccination certificate and police clearance certificate has been made mandatory for local and foreign nationals working at the dam site.
District Police Officer Malik Ijaz Ahmed said that the security of both local and foreign nationals working at the project site has been increased and nine new check posts have been created in the surrounding area.
Additional troops have been stationed along the route from the residential complex of the workers to the dam site.
The work on the Dasu dam site was halted after a bus carrying workers to the site came under attack on July 14. Twelve workers, including nine Chinese officials were killed in the bomb attack. The blast sparked a fire in the engine and plunged the vehicle into a ravine.
At least 28 Chinese nationals were injured in the attack. The people killed included engineers, surveyors, and mechanical staff.
On August 12, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while addressing a press conference, said that India’s Research and Analysis Wing and Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security have been identified as the perpetrators behind the attack.
