QUETTA: Lieutenant General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Special Assistant to Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan for Information and Broadcasting, announced the commencement of construction of Diamer Bhasha Dam on Monday.

In a statement released on social networking site Twitter, Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa said, “I am announcing the commencement of construction of Diamer Bhasha Dam today.”

“This is historic news for all generations of Pakistan and at the same time it will be a positive stimulus for our economy which will not only create 16,500 jobs but also 4,500 MW of electricity,” he added.

Asim Bajwa added that the project would also irrigate 1.2 million acres of agricultural land while extending the life of Tarbela Dam by 35 years.

It may be recalled that former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar had set up a fund for the construction of Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dams in which citizens were appealed to deposit donations.

The fund was later renamed the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Prime Minister Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dam Fund.