ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Federation of Pakistan directing it to furnish reply within 15 days over a petition seeking holding of referendum to build a consensus on the construction of Kalabagh Dam.
A three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan directed the government to apprise it on the next hearing about the steps taken so far in the light of the decision of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) to run an awareness campaign about the utility of the Kalabagh Dam.
Petitioner Barrister Zafarullah apprised the court that his plea was pending adjudication since 2013. He said construction of Kalabagh Dam was important to save the country from plunging into drought. He said construction of the dam was also necessary to resolve the electricity crisis being faced by the country and help produce cheap electricity for the consumers, which was also essential to the country’s development and prosperity.
The petitioner said shortage of water was increasing in the country with each passing day, adding that the level of underground water was gradually decreasing which could lead to severe water crisis in the country.
“Dams should be constructed to overcome the water crisis. However, there has been no consensus among the provinces over the issue of Kalabagh Dam,” Justice Umer Ata Bandial noted. He recalled that the CCI had decided that an awareness campaign should be initiated over the issue, however the decision was never implemented. He said a former chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) had initiated a public awareness campaign over Kalabagh Dam, but he was removed from his post.
The chief justice noted that the government has to decide the matter keeping in view the entire situation.
The petitioner stated that if name of the dam is a hindrance in the way of the consensus, then the name could be changed. He suggested that the dam could be named as ‘Benazir Dam’.
“The matter is deep, it does not only revolve around the name of the dam,” Justice Ijazul Ahsan noted. The petitioner then stated that the court should direct the CCI to take control of the Kalabagh Dam project and lead the efforts to build consensus on the matter to save the country’s agriculture and economy from collapse.
The petitioner stated that the World Bank had pledged to fund dams in Pakistan at the time of Indus Water Treaty, however the projects were ignored due to political complications. He said the dam was also imperative to avert flood-like natural catastrophes in the country.
The court has adjourned the hearing for 15 days.
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