Bhasha, Dasu Dam Costs Surge by Rs1.9 Trillion
Bhasha Dasu dam costs have risen by a combined Rs1.896 trillion, the Ministry of Water Resources told the National Assembly, as the falling rupee and dearer building materials pushed two of Pakistan’s biggest hydropower projects far above their original budgets.
The Diamer-Bhasha Dam now costs Rs1.121 trillion, up from Rs479 billion, an increase of Rs642 billion. The Dasu Hydropower Project now costs Rs1.740 trillion, up from Rs486 billion, an increase of Rs1.254 trillion, or around 260 per cent. Together, the two projects were first priced at Rs965 billion. They now stand at Rs2.861 trillion, nearly three times the original total.
The ministry blamed foreign exchange changes for the increase and said a revised PC-I for Bhasha had been submitted. The figures were presented during question hour in the National Assembly.
Bhasha Dasu dam costs: where the money went
The Bhasha increase alone is larger than the project’s entire original price. At Rs642 billion on a Rs479 billion base, the cost has more than doubled. Dasu’s rise is steeper still. Its Rs1.254 trillion increase is close to two and a half times its original Rs486 billion estimate.
Material prices explain much of the jump. A bag of cement rose by 204 per cent, from Rs530 to Rs1,610. High-speed diesel climbed from Rs72 to Rs414 per litre, an increase of 472 per cent, or almost six times its earlier price. Steel and iron bars rose by 268 per cent, from Rs72,000 to Rs265,000 per metric tonne.
Cement and steel go into the structures, while diesel powers machinery and transport, so when all three rise together and the rupee falls, a project priced years earlier cannot hold its budget. The dam figures are the latest sign of a pattern already visible elsewhere, including the ML-I railway upgrade, whose first phase alone will cost $2.1 billion, as the Senate was told this week.
Wheat stocks and bills in the same sitting
The same National Assembly sitting dealt with wheat after the dissolution of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO). Parliamentary Secretary for National Food Security and Research Shaista Khan said letters had been sent to relevant institutions and provinces for the distribution of available wheat stocks, while wheat was also being supplied to Balochistan, Azad Kashmir and other areas.
Answering questions from Shahida Rehmani and Aliya Kamran, Khan said wheat imports had met requirements, stocks had reached warehouses, and a digital dashboard now tracks movement and delivery details.
She said PASSCO had declined due to financial and administrative issues, as some provinces were not paying its dues and bills on time. The government intends to involve the private sector, with relevant companies linked to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, and a system is being devised to monitor them.
The house also passed four government bills by majority vote after clause-by-clause consideration. They included the Higher Education Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the NFC Institute of Engineering and Technology Multan (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the National Textile University (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Why the dam bill matters
Dams are long projects, and their costs are rarely fixed at the first estimate. Bhasha and Dasu have both run through years of currency movement and price shocks since their budgets were set. The new figures put a hard number on that drift: Rs1.896 trillion of extra cost across two projects.
The question for the government now is funding. Revised PC-I documents, higher tariffs or budget allocations, and slower construction all carry costs of their own. What the figures make clear is that the original prices no longer describe either project. Any debate about hydropower and water storage will now start from Rs1.121 trillion for Bhasha and Rs1.740 trillion for Dasu.
Frequently asked questions
How much have Bhasha and Dasu dam costs risen?
The two projects together cost Rs1.896 trillion more than first estimated, with Bhasha up Rs642 billion and Dasu up Rs1.254 trillion.
What does the Diamer-Bhasha Dam cost now?
The Diamer-Bhasha Dam now costs Rs1.121 trillion, against an original estimate of Rs479 billion.
What does the Dasu Hydropower Project cost now?
The Dasu Hydropower Project now costs Rs1.740 trillion, against an original estimate of Rs486 billion.
Why did the costs rise?
The Ministry of Water Resources cited changes in foreign exchange rates, while cement, diesel and steel prices also rose sharply.
