Produced by: Manoj Kumar
With India suspending Indus Waters Treaty, China has rushed concrete into Pakistan’s Mohmand dam—fusing infrastructure with influence.
China-backed and Pakistan-built, the 213m-high Mohmand dam will hold 1.239 million acre-feet of water and generate 2,862 GWh/year—a hydroeconomic gamble with geopolitical stakes.
Besides electricity, the dam is set to deliver 300 million gallons of drinking water daily to Peshawar—turning it into a cornerstone of Pakistan’s urban water resilience.
With India’s treaty exit spotlighting river control, Pakistan leans harder on China for water security—an upstream-downstream standoff with high stakes.
State-owned Chinese firms accelerating dam work in a conflict zone shows how Beijing uses concrete to cement regional footholds.
Three-quarters of Pakistan’s renewable water flows from India. Without control, Pakistan’s drinking water, food supply, and hydroelectric power remain dangerously vulnerable.
Beijing’s investment isn’t just cash—it’s control. As India builds storage, China builds loyalty through infrastructure, one dam at a time.
Mohmand and Diamer-Bhasha dams are CPEC’s aquatic extensions, merging energy policy with territorial alignment across Pakistan—and disputed regions.
Despite strategic value, both dams face on-ground resistance—from land disputes to electricity rights—hinting that foreign-funded megaprojects can inflame local tensions.