Lahore High Court orders federal government to construct Kalabagh dam

In what appeared to be a dramatics and shocking development, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered the federal government to construct the Kalabagh dam.

LHC Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial issued the order while hearing petitions calling for the construction of the dam. The court directed the government in light of the decisions of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to construct the dam and fulfill its responsibilities under Article 154 of the Constitution.

The petitioners had told the court that in a CCI meeting held in 1991, it was established that the Kalabagh dam was a suitable project. He further argued that federal government in its reply had stated that several resolutions opposing dam`s construction were passed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan assemblies.

Earlier, the petitioners had submitted that non-construction of the dam would render the country’s agricultural land barren. They had stated that the project was in the interest of all provinces and objections were of a technical nature, which could be removed.

The petitioners had said the technical committee on water resources on April 11, 2005 had given green signal for the dam’s construction. They had moreover submitted that the court should issue a clear-cut directive for the completion of the project.

They had further stated that in June 1985 and July 1989 the planning and development division had decided to construct the dam. The counsels’ had also said that in 2004 the LHC had ordered for taking measures for the dam’s construction.

Responding to the order, Awami National Party’s Zahid Khan requested the Supreme Court to take a suo motu notice on the ruling. Khan alleged that the ruling was divisive and an attempt to create rifts in the country and among the people.

ANP claimed that according to reports by Pakistan and foreign engineers that “KBD would be detrimental to the interest of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as the most fertile land of the province would be seriously affected.

Reacting over the decision, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) said that the provinces had differences over the Kalabagh Dam and it would not be feasible to build the dam until all the stakeholders reached an agreement over the issue.

Bashir A. Malik, former chief technical advisor of the United Nations and World Bank, has said “Sindh and Pakhtunkhwah would become drought areas in the years to come, if Kalabagh Dam was not built.” At the same time former KPK Chief Minister Shamsul Mulk has stated that the “Kalabagh Dam would be helpful in erasing poverty from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as it would irrigate 800,000 acres of cultivable land that is located 100-150 feet above the level of River Indus

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Posted by Web Desk on Nov 29 2012. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.