"Chinese company suspends work on Tarbela extension project" 28 March 2024

Chinese company has suspended civil works at the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project and “laid off” over 2,000 workers after the killing of Chinese nationals in a suicide attack in Shangla district, official sources said here on Wednesday...

The suspension of work on the 1530 megawatts Tarbela extension project (T5) was notified by the manager (administration) of the Power Construction Corporation of China. He also revealed in the notification that the project’s “all site workers and office staff members had been laid off until further orders due to security reasons.”

general secretary of the Awami Labour Union at the Tarbela project Aslam Adil insisted that under labour laws, the workers laid off hadn’t lost jobs and were entitled to receive half of their salaries until they resumed duties...“Authorities are going to enhance the security of project employees on their demand,” he said.

The union leader said the suspension of work won’t cause a “long delay” in T-5’s completion...