Bhasha and Dasu dam costs up Rs1.9 trillion after rupee fall
The estimated cost of the Bhasha and Dasu hydropower projects has risen by a combined Rs1.896 trillion, the Ministry of Water Resources told the National Assembly. It linked the rise to the rupee's fall against the dollar.
- Combined cost of Bhasha and Dasu projects up Rs1.896 trillion
- Diamer-Bhasha rose from Rs479 billion to Rs1.121 trillion
- Dasu rose from Rs486 billion to Rs1.740 trillion
The depreciation of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar in recent years has raised the estimated cost of the Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu hydropower projects by a combined Rs1.896 trillion, according to details the Ministry of Water Resources presented in the National Assembly.
For the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, the estimated cost rose by Rs642 billion, from Rs479 billion to Rs1.121 trillion. The ministry attributed the increase to changes in foreign exchange rates. A revised PC-I for the dam has been submitted to the Ministry of Water Resources.
The estimated cost of the Dasu Hydropower Project rose from Rs486 billion to Rs1.740 trillion. That is an increase of Rs1.254 trillion, or around 260%.
The government also acknowledged sharp increases in the prices of petroleum products and construction materials, which added to the cost of infrastructure projects.
According to the figures given, a bag of cement rose 204%, from Rs530 to Rs1,610. High-speed diesel rose 472%, from Rs72 to Rs414 per litre. Steel and iron bars rose 268%, from Rs72,000 to Rs265,000 per metric tonne.
The Express Tribune also reported other business in the National Assembly. After PASSCO was dissolved, letters were sent to institutions and provinces to distribute available wheat stocks, and wheat is being supplied to Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and other areas. Imported wheat has reached warehouses, and a digital dashboard now tracks wheat movement.
Parliamentary Secretary for National Food Security and Research Shaista Khan said PASSCO had declined due to financial and administrative issues, as some provinces were not paying its dues and bills on time. The government plans to involve private companies and devise a system to hold them accountable for wheat supply.
On Friday the National Assembly passed four government bills by majority vote after clause-by-clause consideration, including the Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the National Textile University (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Why it matters
Higher dam costs will feed into the power tariffs and public spending that Pakistani consumers and taxpayers pay for.
