Quetta, November 26, 2025 – In a major boost for drought-hit Balochistan, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday approved an additional $48 million in financing for the Balochistan Water Resources Development Sector Project (BWRDSP), pushing total support closer to $200 million.
The fresh funds will rescue delayed but critical components of the Rs. 49.9 billion scheme covering the Zhob and Mula river basins, which was formally cleared by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council just a day earlier.
The Asian Development Bank has approved an additional $48 million for Pakistan.
According to ADB, the funds will support water-related projects in Balochistan.#SamaaTV pic.twitter.com/yNQptqZhN5
— SAMAA TV (@SAMAATV) November 26, 2025
What the Money Will Deliver
- Completion of the Churi Infiltration Gallery
- Full development of the Siri Toi Dam command area with a revolutionary piped distribution network (replacing leaky open canals)
- Large-scale watershed management: afforestation, soil conservation, and check dams to fight flash floods and erosion
Once finished, Siri Toi Dam will store 36 million cubic metres of water, bringing reliable irrigation to 16,592 hectares — including 1,839 hectares of traditional khushkaba (rain-fed) farmland.
Why Balochistan Needs This Now
Agriculture drives nearly two-thirds of the province’s economy and employs 60 per cent of its 13 million people, yet recurring droughts and poor water management have pushed poverty rates almost double the national average.ADB Country Director Emma Fan said the project “supports livelihoods and creates better economic opportunities, especially for women in agriculture.”Co-financed by Japan and the High-Level Technology Fund, the initiative aims to build a climate-resilient water system that can withstand Balochistan’s harshest challenges for decades to come.
For thousands of farmers staring at barren fields, this additional $48 million is nothing short of a lifeline.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2IRSdxjOxU
