ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Development Authority Chairman Lt-Gen Muzzammil Hussain (retired) Monday informed the Supreme Court that Diamer-Bhasha Dam would be completed in July 2028, while Mohmand Dam's first power unit would start functioning in December 2024.

A five-judge special bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, heard the implementation of its directives regarding construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.

At the onset of the proceeding, the Chief Justice took notice that the courtroom was full and the litigants were sitting close to each other.

He became annoyed, and asked why the SOP about social distancing was being neglected. The chief justice ordered the people not relevant to leave the courtroom.

He said that observing the SOPs was for the benefit of the people in order to remain safe from the coronavirus.

Muzzammil, who is also head of Implementation Committee of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams (ICBMD), told the court that the federal government had provided Rs15 billion funds for Mohmand Dam, while another amount of Rs15 billion would be provided soon.

He submitted that the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) had given approval for the construction of the dams, adding the contract of Mohmand Dam had already been awarded and the mobilization work commenced.

All the three units will be fully operation in July 2025, he said.

A representative of the State Bank of Pakistan, through video-link from Karachi, informed that as the monetary policy rate has reduced in the country therefore, the rate of treasury bills has also gone down.

He told that the investment of Dam Fund is secured in T-bills, otherwise the amounts could be invested in the Stock Exchange, but the risk factor is very high there.

He said on the direction of the top court they wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ministry sent a reminder to the Pakistani embassies abroad to facilitate Pakistanis who like to donate for the Dam Fund.

The top court on June 13, 2019, had decided to invest Supreme Court and Prime Minister Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Funds in the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP).

Former Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on July 10, 2018 had set up Supreme Court of Pakistan Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams fund to raise funds for the construction of the dams.

When Prime Minister Imran Khan announced to join the effort with the chief justice for the construction of dams then the fund's name was changed to Supreme Court and Prime Minister's Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund.

The amount on June 13 in the fund was Rs10.66973billion.

The case was adjourned for six months.