The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has said that despite its limited financing capacity it would support the Diamer–Bhasha dam to ‘the extent possible’.
This was a diplomatic message the Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao conveyed to Pakistan during his meeting with President Mamoon Hussain and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar yesterday.
The ADB was earlier expected to be the lead financier and consortium leader of the $14 billion Diamer-Bhasha dam project. Wapda’s former chairman Shakil Durrani had told a parliamentary committee about two years ago that the ADB “on at least three occasions has committed to providing up to $4bn”.
The matter was taken up during a meeting with the ADB chief by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar who sought support for the country’s top priority project.
“We will need the support of the ADB on the Diamer-Bhasha dam because solving the energy crisis is the top priority of our government,” Mr Dar was quoted in an official statement as telling the visiting ADB chief.
