China has said that it accelerates the construction of the Mohmand dam in Pakistan in response to the recent threats from India to cut water supply, according to a report published on the South China Morning Post website.
The dam, located in the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, was described as a “flagship” project by the Pakistani authorities and is a key element of the Chinese-Pakistani Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the belt and the road initiative of Beijing.
According to a report by the Chinese state diffuser CCTV, the filling of concrete on the Mohmand dam began a “critical stage of construction” signaling an accelerated development phase.
The dam, under construction by China Energy Engineering Public Corporation since 2019, was originally to be completed in 2026.
Acceleration comes after increased tensions between India and Pakistan. New Delhi would have suspended the Water Treaty of the World Bank Indus in response to the Pahalgam incident. In retaliation or in response, China seems to double the support of strategic infrastructure in Islamabad.
Mohmand’s hydroelectric project is designed to be a versatile installation – carried out in flood control, irrigation, electricity production and water supply.
Once finished, it should generate 800 MW of electricity and provide 300 million gallons per day of drinking water to the city of Peshawar.
Beyond Mohmand, China and Pakistan, also intensify cooperation in various sectors. These include industrial development, agriculture and social protection projects. Another major bilateral company, the Diamer-Bhasha dam nicknamed the “three gorges project” in Pakistan also continues to be a focal point of collaboration.
The Chinese announcement to accelerate the Mohmand dam underlines an increasing geopolitical maneuver in the region, the safety of water emerging as a new axis of strategic influence.
