KARACHI: Hanif Gohar, Chairman of Air Karachi and former senior vice president of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, has revealed that $636 billion worth of gold reserves have been discovered in the soil of Tarbela Dam.
In a press conference at the Karachi Press Club earlier this week, Gohar shared that the discovery had been formally communicated to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, both of whom responded positively to the briefing.
According to Gohar, divers collected soil samples from inside the dam, which were analyzed in a laboratory to determine the gold content. “By extrapolating the results, the estimated total value of the gold in the dam’s soil is $636 billion,” he explained, suggesting that this find could potentially be used to pay off Pakistan’s national debt.
He emphasized that the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) should lead the project, but if they choose not to, his company is prepared to invest, extract the gold, and return the profits to the country. Gohar further added that his team had already engaged with dredging experts in Holland and partners in Amsterdam and Canada. “If the government gives us the green light, we are ready to execute this project,” he stated.
Additionally, Gohar spoke about the launch of Air Karachi, announcing that the airline’s domestic operations would commence on March 23, 2026, with an initial fleet of three to five Airbus aircraft. International flights would follow after a successful year of domestic service.
