ISLAMABAD: China is all set to help Pakistan clean its Tarbela Dam with a straw made from steel, Pakistani media reported on Tuesday.
The innovative move will see Beijing, Islamabad’s closest ally, use a 120-meter long steel rod to remove silt from the country’s largest reservoir.
According to Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority, Tarbela Dam is one of the world’s largest earth and rock-filled reservoir and the greatest project to develop water resources. It was completed in 1976 as part of the Indus Basin Project.
Last week, the adviser to the Ministry of Water Resources told the senate that the water storage capacity of the dam had reduced by 41 percent due to silting in the reservoir, adding that it was a natural phenomenon and thus unpreventable.
“However, the government has taken steps for the construction of the Diamer Basha Dam which will help reduce the inflow of silt into Tarbela Dam,” the statement released by the ministry read.
China to clean Pakistan’s biggest dam with 120meter long straw
China to clean Pakistan’s biggest dam with 120meter long straw
- Water storage capacity of Tarbela Dam impacted by silting in reservoir
- Tarbela Dam was constructed along the Indus River in 1976
Pakistan pushes for Chinese investment in export-oriented sectors
- China is Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with its exports to Islamabad standing at $19.62 billion in 2024
- Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi holds meetings with honorary investment councilors in China
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi met honorary investment councilors (HIC) this week to review their role in advancing trade and people-to-people linkages, urging them to mobilize investments from Beijing in Islamabad’s export-oriented sectors, the Press Information Department (PID) said.
Pakistan views China as an important strategic ally and investment partner, which has funneled billions of dollars into the country under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) energy and infrastructure project for over a decade.
China is also Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with its exports to Pakistan surging from $16.67 billion in 2023 to $19.62 billion in 2024, as per official data.
Hashmi held private meetings with HICs in China on Monday and a working luncheon to take stock of their work, strengthen coordination and set priorities for 2026, the PID said in a press release.
“He encouraged them to synergize their efforts with Pakistan’s national development priorities and mobilize Chinese investments in export-oriented sectors of Pakistan,” the statement said.
The Pakistani ambassador urged the HICs to prioritize channeling investments in 21 priority sectors of the economy through joint ventures to boost productive capacities, calling on them to integrate investments with human capital development.
Hashmi informed the HICs that the two business-to-business investment conferences held in Chinese cities of Shenzhen and Beijing, as well as six sectoral investment roadshows since last year cumulatively yielded the signing of over 300 memoranda of understanding and 25 joint ventures worth $11 billion.
“The HICs welcomed the initiative to convene focused annual review by the ambassador, marking the beginning of an institutionalized engagement with the HICs,” the press release said.
“They shared their plans for 2026 and expressed resolve to lend their full support to the embassy’s economic diplomacy agenda, especially the enhancement of Chinese investments in Pakistan and an increase in Pakistani exports to China, while boosting bilateral cooperation in these mutually beneficial areas.”
