The director general of the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) has said Islamabad is an earthquake prone area and Bhasha dam is highly vulnerable because of huge fault lines.

The dam, he warned, must not be built on the present site.Dr Imran Ahmad Khan DG GSP made these remarks while briefing the Senate standing committee on petroleum and natural resources that met here on Tuesday with Senator Muhammad Yousaf in the chair.Speaking about the Reko Diq mines, the DG GSP disclosed that the costly ores of Yitrium, Scandium, lanthanum have also been found there which are used in nuclear batteries and neutron bombs.

The DG said that it is feared that in future an earthquake with a magnitude of 9 may hit Zone-4 where Tarbela dam is located and another big reservoir of Bhasha over there will endanger Tarbela.He said that construction of water reservoir like Bhasha Dam in the area may result into another severe incident like Attabad Lake case.He said during last few decades eight severe earthquakes have hit this area, therefore major reservoirs should not be constructed here.

The DG said that Gawadar port is also located in the Zone-4 where billion of rupees are being invested. The Geological Survey of Pakistan, he said, has conveyed this to the authorities and has opposed the construction of Sighar houses in Gwadar but no one took notice so far.The Standing Committee asked him to submit that report before the committee. The DG further added that seismic hazards that destroyed the old Taxila civilisation are present in the Margalla hills that may cause destruction in the capital in future.

Briefing about Reko Diq mines in Balochistan Dr Khan apprised the committee that these mines are worth trillions of dollars and the most precious gemstones in the world are present there. He said that total reserves in these mine are more than five billion tons.The legislative body directed him to give complete report regarding Reko Diq. On the occasion the DG announced that in the next 20 days a pilot project of 8 megawatt of power located in Thar coal would be operational and if it succeeds the coal culture would further develop in the country.

DG GSP informed the committee that Arsenic is present in a few villages of KPK and Punjab and 83% of population of these areas is vulnerable to cancer and other severe diseases.The standing committee expressed strong concerns over it and asked him to submit a detailed report in this regard.