UAE Eyes Pakistan's Water Resources

A top UAE businessman has proposed building a 500 kilometer long pipeline to bring Pakistan's Dasht River water from the Makran coast to Fujaira for United Arab Emirates' water security.

Water-scarce Pakistan itself needs to store and use the Dasht River water for development of Balochistan, particularly Gwadar and other related projects as part of the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Abdullah Al Shehi, the CEO of GeoWash, has argued that the Dasht River floods annually, which has prompted the Pakistani government to empty the excess water through channels leading to the sea. That excess water, said Mr Al Shehi, could be put to use in the UAE, according to a report in the UAE's newspaper "The National".

Dasht River

Dasht River:

Dasht River is located in Makran region and Gwadar District, in the southwestern section of Balochistan Province, in southwestern Pakistan. The Kech River, a seasonal intermittent river, is a tributary of the Dasht River which flows southeast through the Central Makran Range in the Gwadar District of Balochistan into the Gulf of Oman in the Arabian Sea.

Mirani Dam

Mirani Dam:

Mirani Dam was completed on Dasht River in 2006 to store over 300,000 acre-feet of fresh water to meet the needs of southern Balochistan. Mirani Dam is the largest dam in the world in terms of volume for flood protection with a floodstock of 588,690 cubic hectometer, according to International Commission On Large Dams (ICOLD). This water reservoir is essential for the development of a deep sea port and a major new metropolis in Gawadar as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. In addition to supplying fresh water to Turbat, Jiwani and Gwadar cities, it has sufficient capacity to irrigate over 33,000 acres of farm land.

UAE Water Security:

The United Arab Emirates uses 80% of its fresh water for agriculture in its arid desert and the rest of the 20% for urban needs, according to The National. Here's the key question: Does it make more sense for the UAE to import food rather than grow its own food by importing fresh water? The second question is: Can the UAE focus on desalination for the water it needs for urban use?

Summary:

Gwadar port was first conceived in late 1950s when Pakistan purchased the region from  the Sultanate of Oman. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been talked about since early 1990s. But nothing was done to develop until President Pervez Musharraf allocated time, money and focus to build first several berths at Gwadar deep sea port, Coastal Highway to connect it with Karachi and Mirani Dam in Balochistan to supply water on his watch.

Now water-stressed Pakistan needs to focus on building greater water storage capacity if it's really serious about developing Gwadar, Southwestern Balochistan and the Makran coast. It must not agree to export the Dasht River water to anyone, including the UAE. Instead, it should offer to export food as necessary to meet UAE's needs.

Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Water-Stressed Pakistan

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

President Musharraf's Legacy

Mineral Wealth of Balochistan

Pakistan Farm Land Controversy

Recurring Floods and Droughts in Pakistan

Views: 1422

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 25, 2020 at 5:06pm

Construction Work Of Shinzani Dam Gwadar In Full Swing

https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/construction-work-of-shinzani...

The construction work of Shinzani Dam for provision of drinking water facilities to citizen in Gwadar district was in full swing.

According to official sources, the project worth Rs 500 million will be completed in a transparent manner during the financial year.

Work has been started on the project by the construction firm after completing the tender process, it added.

Under the vision of Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan, the completion of ongoing development projects of Gwadar and provision of the clean drinking water to the masses on permanent basis was priority of the government.

According to a notification issued by the office of Deputy Commissioner Gwadar, a committee has been set up to compensate the victims of Shinzani Dam.

District Forest Officer Gwadar, Deputy Director Agriculture Gwadar, and a representative of the victims of the Shinzani Dam site have been included in the committee members list.

The committee will soon formulate a mechanism for compensation of the victims after conducting a survey.

The residents of Gwadar thanked Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal for approving important projects for the development of the city.

They said that current government has initiated record construction and development work in Gwadar district.

The new era has begun with the construction of dams in the rain-fed areas of Gwadar district to solve the problem of drinking water and urged to take timely steps to compensate the victims (displaced)

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The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of Shinzani Dam which cost is estimated Rs 50 crore and it would be completed in two years.

About sixteen thousand acre feet of water can be stored in this dam and over five thousand acre feet of water will be used for agriculture.


https://www.app.com.pk/national/cm-balochistan-inaugurates-water-su...



-----------------

The Hingol River is 350 miles (560 km) long, the longest in Balochistan. It winds through the Makran Coastal Range and Hungol Valley between high cliffs. The river flows all year long, unlike most other streams in Balochistan which only flow during rare rains.

Comment by Riaz Haq on October 29, 2020 at 12:51pm

24 dams worth billions of rupees under construction in #Balochistan province of #Pakistan . #Water reservoirs are being built in Awaran, Washuk, Kharan, Zhob, Musakhel, Loralai. #CPEC #Gwadar | TNS World


Under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), twenty-four dams worth billions of rupees are under construction in Balochistan.

This was stated by the project director of 100 dams Muhammad Ibrahim Mengal in an exclusive interview with Radio Pakistan.

He said no compromise will be made on the quality of construction, which are likely to be completed by December this year.

He said the water reservoirs are being built in Awaran, Washuk, Kharan, Zhob, Musakhel, Loralai etc. The project director also said that measures are being taken to accomplish the dam project in order to improve ground water level for reducing the water problems that stretch throughout the province.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 30, 2022 at 10:01am

Pakistan Govt expedites work on Naulong Dam in Jhal Magsi, Balochistan

https://nation.com.pk/2022/04/26/govt-expedites-work-on-naulong-dam...


ISLAMABAD – The government has expedited the construction work of Naulong Dam on Mula River in the Jhal Magsi District, which will be the first hydel dam of the province to generate 4.4 megawatts electricity and irrigate 47,000 acres land.

The Water and Power Development Authority had already completed its feasibility and detailed design, besides all other required arrangements, a WAPDA official said. With gross storage of 242,163 acre feet of water, he said, the dam would irrigate 47,000 acres of land in Jhal Magsi, Gandawa and Khuzdar, which would help boost economic activities and strengthen the farmers fraternity in the province.

The official said the Naulong Dam, which would cost around Rs 3.85 billion, would be 186 feet high. The agriculture would reap annual benefit of Rs 2.017 billion, power Rs 0.413 billion and fisheries Rs. 0.018 billion because of the dam, while it would create 23,500 agricultural jobs. It would help protect the catchment areas from the deluge, he added.

The official said the government had worked out a comprehensive programme for managing the recurring floods through small dams. The completion of the projects would help the irrigation system, besides tackling the water scarcity situation in the province, he added.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 30, 2022 at 10:01am

Pakistan Govt expedites work on Naulong Dam in Jhal Magsi, Balochistan

https://nation.com.pk/2022/04/26/govt-expedites-work-on-naulong-dam...


ISLAMABAD – The government has expedited the construction work of Naulong Dam on Mula River in the Jhal Magsi District, which will be the first hydel dam of the province to generate 4.4 megawatts electricity and irrigate 47,000 acres land.

The Water and Power Development Authority had already completed its feasibility and detailed design, besides all other required arrangements, a WAPDA official said. With gross storage of 242,163 acre feet of water, he said, the dam would irrigate 47,000 acres of land in Jhal Magsi, Gandawa and Khuzdar, which would help boost economic activities and strengthen the farmers fraternity in the province.

The official said the Naulong Dam, which would cost around Rs 3.85 billion, would be 186 feet high. The agriculture would reap annual benefit of Rs 2.017 billion, power Rs 0.413 billion and fisheries Rs. 0.018 billion because of the dam, while it would create 23,500 agricultural jobs. It would help protect the catchment areas from the deluge, he added.

The official said the government had worked out a comprehensive programme for managing the recurring floods through small dams. The completion of the projects would help the irrigation system, besides tackling the water scarcity situation in the province, he added.

Comment by Riaz Haq on May 30, 2022 at 9:05pm

Balochistan water storage increases

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2351918/balochistan-water-storage-incr...

The water storage capacity of Balochistan has reached 68,939 acre feet which will enhance the irrigation network and address water scarcity issues of the drought-hit province.

Under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), as many as 27 dams have been completed having storage capacity of 68,939 acre feet in various districts of Balochistan.

There are also ongoing small, medium, large and delayed action dams at various stages of implementation that will further add another 9.016 million acre feet (MAF) to the existing storage capacity.

After the construction of large reservoirs in the country, the storage capacity of water will increase several million-acre feet that will help store rain and floods water during monsoon.

An official of the Ministry of Water and Power told APP that the work was underway on various projects in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh to address the growing issue of water scarcity.

“The federal government is also providing funds for construction of various small, medium, large, and delay action and recharge dam projects in the country through Federal Public Sector Development Program (PSDP)”, he said.

These projects aimed at providing water for irrigation, agriculture, and drinking purposes which were being implemented by WAPDA and Irrigation Departments of four provinces besides the Public Health Engineering Department, Balochistan.

At present combined storage capacity of Mangla, Tarbela, and Chashma reservoirs is about 14.349 MAF. After the completion of ongoing projects i.e. Mohmand, Diamer Basha, and Nai Gaj Dams, the gross storage capacity will be increased to 23.988 MAF.

Comment by Riaz Haq on June 20, 2022 at 7:27pm

UAE to build Red Sea port in Sudan in $6 billion investment package

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/exclusive-uae-build-red-s...

The United Arab Emirates will build a new Red Sea port in Sudan as part of a $6 billion investment package, DAL group chairman Osama Daoud Abdellatif, a partner in the deal, told Reuters.

Abdellatif said the package includes a free trade zone, a large agricultural project and an imminent $300 million deposit to Sudan's central bank, which would be the first such deposit since an October military takeover.


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The UAE deal also includes the $1.6 billion expansion and development of an agricultural project by Abu Dhabi conglomerate IHC and DAL Agriculture in the town of Abu Hamad in northern Sudan, Abdellatif said.

--------------

Rumours of Gulf investments in Port Sudan, and in agricultural projects elsewhere in the country, have in the past stirred opposition and sometimes protests.

————

Alfalfa, wheat, cotton, sesame, and other crops would be grown and processed on the 400,000 acres of leased land, he said. A $450 million, 500 km (310 mile) toll road connecting the project to the port would be built as well, financed by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development.



Under the agreement, the Fund would also make a deposit of $300 million to the Central Bank of Sudan, Abdellatif said.

Abdellatif said the agreement was reached initially in July 2021, under a civilian-led transitional government.

Comment by Riaz Haq on July 18, 2022 at 4:28pm

The Balochistan government has declared 10 districts of the province as calamity-hit areas in view of casualties and losses to businesses and infrastructure by recent torrential rains and floods.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1700021/10-districts-of-balochistan-decla...


An official notification issued by the office of the Relief Commissioner and Provincial Disaster Management Authority here on Saturday said that the 10 districts are Loralai, Kalat, Mastung, Kachhi, Sibi, Qila Saifullah, Barkhan, Duki, Panjgur and Lasbela.

Meanwhile, heavy rains continued in different districts of northern and central Balochistan, causing more damages and rendering the people homeless. A large number of villages in Sibi, Lasbela, Bolan, Qila Saifullah and Loralai districts were washed away or submerged due to floods and overflowing rivers.

Over 30 houses were damaged in villages located on the outskirts of Sibi on Friday night.

“Our rescue teams and Levies personnel were making all-out efforts to clear water from areas where flood and rainwater has accumulated,” Sibi Deputy Commissioner Mansoor Qazi told Dawn, adding that residents deprived of their homes were provided with shelter and relief goods.

“Though floodwater is reducing in the three main rivers, more flooding cannot be ruled out in view of more rains,” he said.

Lasbela district was also getting more rains in different areas which caused damages to homes in Winder, Kanraj and Bela areas where standing cotton and other crops were badly damaged. “A cotton field was completely destroyed in heavy rains and flash flood,” officials of the local administration said.

“Around a dozen people were stranded in a village in Lakhra area. They were rescued by the local administration with the help of Navy personnel,” Rohana Kakar, additional deputy commissioner, said, adding that the Hub dam was almost filled to capacity and its water level wa being continuously monitoring.

Meanwhile, the death toll of the rain-related incident in the province has reached 77. Over 1,000 houses were washed away and 500 heads of cattle were swept away in the floodwater.

The National Disaster Management Authority has sent 1,000 tents to Balochistan for the rain-stricken people.

Probe ordered into poor construction of breached dams

Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo has ordered a probe into the alleged use of sub-standard construction material after at least 21 dams either gave way or were greatly damaged due to floods, especially in northern districts.

He has ordered inspection teams to survey these dams along with experts.

The irrigation department surveyed 503 big and small dams in 34 districts on the chief minister’s orders and found that most of them have been filled to capacity, including Hub, Mirani, Ankara Kur, Shadi Kur and Subakzai dams.

The report said the water storage level in the dams across the province had reached 1,208,872 acre-feet after rains compared to a capacity of 1,637,084 acre-feet.

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