Dasu Dam Project: Employment termination notification cancelled

PESHAWAR ISLAMABAD/BEIJING: The competent authority disapproved notification of employment contract termination of Dasu Hydro Power Project issued on July 16, 2021 by China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC).

The notification was issued following blast on bus on July 14, 2021 in which 13 persons, including nine Chinese workers, were killed. The CGGC in its press release stated, “The notification of employees contract termination issued by CGGC Dasu HPP Management on July 16, 2021, had not been approved by the competent authority and has been declared null and void now.

Earlier, the Chinese company issued a letter on July 16, stating that owing to the blast that occurred on July 14, 2021, which caused casualties; CGGC Dasu HPP Management had been forced to suspend the construction of the Dasu Hydropower Project. CGGC Dasu HPP Management had regretfully decided to terminate the employment contract with all Pakistani personnel, complying with the Pakistan Industrial and Commercial Ordinances, other than some necessary personnel to maintain on-site maintenance and operation.

Wapda officials confirmed the suspension of work on Dasu Dam, adding that the suspension is temporary and work will be resumed soon. Around 466 Chinese, 22 foreigners and 2,500 plus Pakistanis are working under CGGC at the Dasu HPP project. However, the government sources said that the construction work of Dasu Dam has been temporarily halted due to deaths, investigations, and visits of various delegations.

The contract with the Chinese company has not been cancelled or terminated. The company has decided to lay off some employees who are accustomed to the strikes or are redundant. Those who do not implement SOPs are also being identified.

The Chinese company issued a letter on July 16, stating that owing to the explosion attack which has caused extremely heavy casualties, CGGC Dasu HPP Management has been forced to suspend the construction of the Dasu Hydropower Project and has regretfully decided to terminate the employment contract with all Pakistani personnel, complying with the Pakistan Industrial and Commercial Ordinances, other than some necessary personnel to maintain on-site maintenance and operation. 14-day half-month wages (from July 15 to July 28, 2021) and gratuity will be paid in line with the stipulations as specified in the above ordinances. The aforesaid money will be paid at one time. “CGGC Dasu HPP Management is once again with great thanks to all the Pakistani personnel who participated in the accident rescue on July 14, 2021”, the letter said.

While confirming the letter, the Dasu Dam project director Anwarul Haq told this correspondent that the Chinese company has temporarily suspended work as the tragedy was so large that nine Chinese engineers were killed and the company could not resume work immediately. He said that due to the Eid holidays, the employees had to go on holiday, so the work of the Dasu Dam project would not be affected. He hoped that the construction work would soon be resuming.

“The negotiations are underway with the Chinese company. The government has assured full security to the Chinese engineers and staffers. As soon the security situation improved, the Chinese company would resume work on Dasu Dam and all employees would be recalled after Eid”, he said.

This is pertinent that at least 13 persons, including nine Chinese engineers and two FC personnel died and several others were injured on July, 14 in a bus explosion near the Dasu hydropower plant in the Upper Kohistan district.

The government had signed an agreement in 2017 with a Chinese firm Gezhuoba Group Company (CGGC) for the construction of the 4320MW dam, which is expected to be completed in 2023.

Meanwhile, Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday said Pakistan would provide foolproof security to Chinese, working on different projects and directives had been issued to all the law enforcement agencies in that regard.

China is Pakistan’s closest friend and the cowardly acts like the Dasu Hydropower bus incident will not affect the two countries’ friendship, he said while addressing a press conference.

He said China’s Minister for Public Security Zhao Kezhi had over half an hour of telephonic conversation with him, during which he was informed of the progress made in the investigation into the bus incident.

The Chinese minister, he said, contacted him on the instructions of President Xi Jinping. He was apprised of the sentiments of the government and the people of Pakistan over the incident, and also the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the authorities regarding beefing up the security of Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

The prime minister, he said, had directed Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi to visit China, and asked him (Sheikh Rashid) to ensure more security to the Chinese nationals and the Interior Ministry had issued directives to the law enforcement agencies accordingly. He said both sides expressed the optimism that no power on earth could make their relations sour as the two countries were iron brothers and time-tested friends.

He said that a 15-member team from China had arrived in Pakistan yesterday, which along with the Additional Secretary and officials of security institutions was now at the site of bus incident to carry out investigations.

The minister said the government of Pakistan assured that the enemies of Pak-China friendship and China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would never be forgiven, and would be given exemplary punishment. The investigation into the bus incident was underway while the wounded persons were being provided the best treatment, he added.

The culprits involved in the Lahore incident had been arrested and those behind the Dasu bus incident would also be exposed, the minister said.

As regards Afghanistan, the interior minister said the Foreign Ministry would give a better briefing on the Afghan policy. Pakistan wished peace in Afghanistan as its own peace was linked with that of the neighbouring country. He said the border management was the responsibility of the Interior Ministry.

He said India always tried to avail any opportunity to create unrest in Pakistan, but the latter was strong enough thwart the

He said the online visa service initiative had ended corruption on that count.

Meanwhile, China on Saturday said it has sent investigators to Pakistan to probe an explosion on a bus that killed 12 people including nine Chinese nationals, calling the blast a "terrorist attack".

Islamabad previously blamed the blast on a mechanical failure that led to a gas leak, but China has called it a bombing. "China and Pakistan will work together to find out the truth," Chinese public security minister Zhao Kezhi said in a statement after a phone call with his Pakistani counterpart.

Beijing has "sent technical experts in criminal investigation to Pakistan to assist in the investigation", he added. He called on Islamabad to strengthen security for Chinese nationals in the country.