Indian strike: Wapda chief assesses NJHP dam structure damage
ISLAMABAD: In the wake of brutal attack by India on dam structure of 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, Wapda Chairman Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) visited the dam site located at Nauseri near the Line of Control (LoC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The visit was aimed at observing and assessing the damage done to the structures, installations and staff residential camp besides boosting the morale of Wapda officers and officials performing their duties at the Dam site. The project is non-operational since last year due to damage to the tunnel and work was in progress on its rehabilitation.
Acting Member Power Wapda and CEO Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Company Muhammad Arfan Miana, Chief Engineer/PD Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project and Chief Engineer (Operation and Maintenance) were also present on the occasion.
46 injured: 31 innocent civilians martyred in Indian strikes: ISPR
During the detailed visit of the Dam, De-sanders and Intake, the Chairman was apprised that the Indian shelling started at 1:15 a.m. on May 7, and continued for about six hours till 7:15 a.m. Consequently, hydraulic power unit 1 of intake gates was damaged in addition to reinforcement concrete structure at De-sander 1 and 3. Residential camp was also targeted including ambulance and medical facility. The Chairman was also briefed about the efforts made by the WAPDA officials for securing the critical equipment installed at the dam structure and the control room.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman strongly condemned the Indian attack on Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project, adding that international laws including protocol additional to the Geneva Convention 12 August 1949 do not allow an attack on water structures even during full-scale war between two states.
He also appreciated the courage and devotion of the WAPDA officers and officials in line of their duties.
Talking to media, Chairman Wapda stated India's strike targeted not just the dam's structure but extended ominously to the civilian neighborhoods nestled around it. It wasn't merely about disrupting power; it was an assault on safety, a gamble with catastrophe. 'The Neelum-Jhelum project holds a vast reservoir—an essential reserve for our energy needs. Damaging it could have triggered devastating floods, widespread power outages, and mass casualties,' he said.
As engineers in hard hats and military personnel assessed the impact, Wapda's technical teams worked around the clock to inspect tunnels, turbines, and walls for signs of structural compromise. Despite the severity of the attack, a sliver of relief came from the fact that no lives were lost. 'It could have been much worse,' the chairman admitted. 'A breach in the reservoir might've drowned entire villages.'
The Indian strike, he asserted, was not just a military act—it was a violation of international humanitarian law. 'Targeting civilians near a power facility violates every ethical and legal norm. This wasn't a misfire. It was deliberate,' he said with conviction.
Although no foreign engineers were on site at the time, and WAPDA's role remains confined to generation—not grid operations—concerns over broader vulnerabilities loomed large.
As he concluded his statement, the chairman praised Pakistan's armed forces for their rapid and resolute response. 'They acted swiftly to secure the area and prevent further escalation. But this aggression cannot go unanswered on the global stage,' he warned. 'Targeting critical civilian infrastructure isn't just an attack on Pakistan. It threatens the fragile balance of our region.'
Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project was completed in 2018 on River Neelum in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The Project comprises of three main components - a dam at Nauseri, an underground Waterway System consisting of 52-Km long tunnels and an underground Power House at Chattar Kalas. After its completion, the project contributed 19.562 billion units of green and clean electricity to the National Grid.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
PM Shehbaz vows to resolve all issues concerning KP
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday assured to address all issues concerning Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Addressing a Jirga in Peshawar, he announced to form a committee to look into all the demands and issues raised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, according to a statement from Prime Minister's office. The Honourable Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, along with Federal Ministers of Defence, Interior, Information and Federal Minister for Kashmir & GB Affairs, visited Peshawar today. Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI(M), Chief of Army Staff (COAS) was also with PM on the visit to Peshawar. On arrival, CM & Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhawa welcomed the Prime Minister. During the visit, Prime Minister addressed a Grand Jirga attended by eminent tribal elders from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Governor and Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were also present at the occasion. In his address, the Prime Minister paid tributes to the indomitable spirit and historic sacrifices of the valiant Pakhtun people in their enduring quest for peace and stability. He remarked, 'The sacrifices rendered by the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are indelibly inscribed in the annals of our national history. The entire nation salutes your courage, resolve, and unwavering commitment.' The Prime Minister called upon tribal elders to remain resolute in countering the Indian-sponsored Fitna-ul-Khawarij, and to expose its malignant ideology and deceitful narrative. Commending the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps, Police, and other Law Enforcement Agencies for their exemplary service and sacrifices, the Prime Minister affirmed, 'Peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa shall be preserved at all costs. The Pakistan Army, in unison with all security institutions and the valiant people of the province, stands firmly united against the Fitna-ul-Khawarij and its foreign abettors.' Reiterating Pakistan's commitment to regional harmony, the Prime Minister stressed the imperative of enhanced bilateral cooperation with Afghanistan, and urged that Afghan soil must not be allowed to be used by Indian proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan. He further lauded the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a vital national asset, encouraging them to play a constructive role in advancing peace, opportunity, and national cohesion for future generations. The tribal elders warmly received the Prime Minister and the Chief of Army Staff, terming the Grand Jirga a significant and timely initiative. They expressed deep appreciation for the Armed Forces' professional excellence and unwavering resolve, particularly in the successful conduct of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos. Earlier, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada in Peshawar Cantonment. Upon arrival, he was received by Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI(M), and Corps Commander Peshawar.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Global alarms rise as China's critical mineral export ban takes hold
Alarm over China's stranglehold on critical minerals grew on Tuesday as global automakers joined their U.S. counterparts to complain that restrictions by China on exports of rare earth alloys, mixtures and magnets could cause production delays and outages without a quick solution. German automakers became the latest to warn that China's export restrictions threaten to shut down production and rattle their local economies, following a similar complaint from an Indian EV maker last week. China's decision in April to suspend exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets has upended the supply chains central to automakers, aerospace manufacturers, semiconductor companies and military contractors around the world. The move underscores China's dominance of the critical mineral industry and is seen as leverage by China in its ongoing trade war with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has sought to redefine the trading relationship with the U.S.' top economic rival China by imposing steep tariffs on billions of dollars of imported goods in hopes of narrowing a wide trade deficit and bringing back lost manufacturing. Trump imposed tariffs as high as 145% against China only to scale them back after stock, bond and currency markets revolted over the sweeping nature of the levies. China has responded with its own tariffs and is leveraging its dominance in key supply chains to persuade Trump to back down. Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to talk this week and the export ban is expected to be high on the agenda. Shipments of the magnets, essential for assembling everything from cars and drones to robots and missiles, have been halted at many Chinese ports while the Chinese government drafts a new regulatory system. Once in place, the new system could permanently prevent supplies from reaching certain companies, including American military contractors. The suspension has triggered anxiety in corporate boardrooms and nations' capitals - from Tokyo to Washington - as officials scrambled to identify limited alternative options amid fears that production of new automobiles and other items could grind to a halt by summer's end. 'If the situation is not changed quickly, production delays and even production outages can no longer be ruled out,' Hildegard Mueller, head of Germany's auto lobby, told Reuters on Tuesday. Frank Fannon, a minerals industry consultant and former U.S. assistant secretary of state for energy resources during Trump's first term, said the global disruptions are not shocking to those paying attention. 'I don't think anyone should be surprised how this is playing out. We have a production challenge (in the U.S.) and we need to leverage our whole of government approach to secure resources and ramp up domestic capability as soon as possible. The time horizon to do this was yesterday,' Fannon. Diplomats, automakers and other executives from India, Japan and Europe were urgently seeking meetings with Beijing officials to push for faster approval of rare earth magnet exports, sources told Reuters, as shortages threatened to halt global supply chains. A business delegation from Japan will visit Beijing in early June to meet the Ministry of Commerce over the curbs and European diplomats from countries with big auto industries have also sought 'emergency' meetings with Chinese officials in recent weeks, Reuters reported. India, where Bajaj Auto warned that any further delays in securing the supply of rare earth magnets from China could 'seriously impact' electric vehicle production, is organizing a trip for auto executives in the next two to three weeks. In May, the head of the trade group representing General Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai and other major automakers raised similar concerns in a letter to the Trump administration. 'Without reliable access to these elements and magnets, automotive suppliers will be unable to produce critical automotive components, including automatic transmissions, throttle bodies, alternators, various motors, sensors, seat belts, speakers, lights, motors, power steering, and cameras,' the Alliance for Automotive Innovation wrote in the letter.
Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Former Kia India workers, scrap dealers face probe over theft of 1,008 engines
NEW DELHI: Two former Kia India workers are under investigation over accusations that they colluded with scrap dealers to steal 1,008 engines from the carmaker's factory over three years, police investigation documents showed. Though the engines were worth only $2.3 million, the police investigation noted the case had 'widespread impact on industrial operations, stakeholder trust and employment security', and raised concerns about inter-state crime networks. Kia in March complained to police in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh that a review of internal records found engines sourced from its sister carmaker, Hyundai, were missing and it suspected a conspiracy between past and present employees. An initial police investigation found two former Kia India factory workers - a team leader and a head of section in the engine dispatch section - were involved in illegally transporting the engines from the factory using forged invoices and manipulated gate passes, according to an April 16 police document. They worked with at least two other individuals who helped arrange transport, and two other scrap dealers who helped sell them to buyers as far away as the capital city New Delhi. 'The entire operation involved repeated illegal transactions, use of multiple trucks bearing manipulated or pseudo registration numbers,' Inspector K. Raghavan said in his investigation document dated April 16, seen by Reuters. Kia cuts Sportage prices by up to Rs1.85mn in Pakistan Raghavan declined to comment when contacted, citing confidentiality. In a statement to Reuters, Kia India said it identified the discrepancies as it enhanced its inventory management processes last year. Kia India conducted an internal investigation, reported the case to police and was continuing to strengthen internal process governance and reinforce stringent monitoring systems, it added. 'Disappearance' of engines The former head of the engine dispatch section at Kia's factory, Vinayagamoorthy Veluchamy, 37, is currently under arrest in custody, and has applied to the state High Court for bail, according to court papers seen by Reuters. He denied any involvement in the alleged thefts, the papers showed. He left the company in 2023. The other Kia worker accused is 33-year-old former team leader Patan Saleem, who worked at the factory from 2020 to 2025, police documents showed. His whereabouts were not known and two phone numbers cited in the police document were not in service. The two former employees are yet to be formally charged with any offence, but have been named as accused in the investigation, which is still in initial stages. Given the 'high-level preplanning, internal access manipulation', they could face punishment of 10 years imprisonment or more under Indian laws if charged and convicted, the police document said. While theft is relatively common in India, such large-scale, prolonged corporate-level cases such as the one involving Kia are rare. Kia first reported the matter of the 'disappearance' of engines to police after stock reconciliation in January 2025, a month after it also found unauthorized vehicle movement in the factory's CCTV footage. Its March complaint put the missing engines number at 940, documents show. Police recovered nine mobile phones containing WhatsApp screenshots, transport invoices and truck photos. 'The proceeds of crime were either spent on personal needs, clearing debts, purchasing immovable property or reinvested in businesses,' said the police document.
