ISLAMABAD/ PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has become divided over the issue of constructing the Kalabagh Dam.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur once again emphasised, “I am in favour of the Kalabagh Dam. It should be built. Build consensus, address the concerns of the provinces, and construct the Kalabagh Dam. Think not in terms of politics, but of the state. Pakistan needs the Kalabagh Dam. Smaller dams cannot be an alternative to the Kalabagh Dam. Initiate a debate on national consensus regarding the Kalabagh Dam. The media should help. Personally, I am in favour of creating more provinces, but we must see whether they can stand on their own feet.”
During an interaction with the media in Islamabad on Tuesday, the KP chief minister said, “In our case, the issue in Kalabagh is limited to one district and belongs to the ANP (Awami National Party). Aimal Wali said, ‘Our generations will not allow the dam to be built. The Kalabagh Dam will be built over our dead bodies.’ I say to Aimal Wali, this is Pakistan’s issue. Where did dead bodies and generations come from?”
Gandapur also supported the creation of new provinces, stating that governance would improve with smaller provincial units.
“Small units are formed in countries around the world. Pakistan is the only country that is running on four provinces with such a large population,” he said.
Gandapur remarked that those who do wrong should ask for forgiveness, adding, “How did people reach Rana Sanaullah’s house? How were the gates of the army’s institutions broken? Why were no tear gas shells fired? The establishment that stole our mandate and submitted false documents against us should ask for forgiveness.”
“Get over the ego, get over the arrogance, let go of what happened and move forward. Our policy is that every institution of Pakistan should work within its limits. It is not the job of those who have made it a habit to interfere and remove people. If something happened in 2018, that was also wrong. Sometimes action is taken by keeping you in the forefront, sometimes action is taken by keeping us in the forefront.”
On the question of an apology, he maintained that the one who does wrong should ask for forgiveness, reiterating that “the establishment who stole our mandate and registered false cases against us should ask for forgiveness.”
He said that as the head of the province, the army does not interfere in his administrative work, and to date, the army has not recommended any kind of transfer or posting. However, he conceded that there is a lack of trust between the army and the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) due to past incidents.
“I started a dialogue, but then it ended. A time will come when everyone will realise that they should sit down and talk for the country,” he emphasised.
Regarding the Charter of Democracy, Gandapur said the party founder asked them to talk to other political parties, but when other parties did not agree to form a commission, the matter did not move forward, and meetings are not being held.
He explained that he has not met his jailed leader since April 2, and if he does, he will tell Imran Khan that he should sit down with other political parties at least once. “The party founder believes that these are robbers and thieves and we should not sit with them, while I believe that if they sit down, the country may improve, and they may also get guidance. I will try to talk to the founder and get permission to sit with political parties once,” he maintained.
Gandapur declined to disclose the offers made during earlier negotiations with the establishment, saying he has been conveying messages between both sides.
He made it clear that the party supremo knows who is running the government, which is why he says he has to talk to the establishment.
He stated that Imran Khan is in favour of a presidential system. If a presidential system is implemented, the PTI founder will sweep the elections. It is true that the current system is not working well for us.
Referring to Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Gandapur said that he has no credibility left. Some of our foolish members were paying visits to Maulana. Now, it is a condition for PMLN and PPP that Maulana should not be part of the government. When Maulana is in the government, he blackmails and forces his demands.
Regarding Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor, he said Faisal Karim Kundi holds no significance; he is still the party’s information secretary. We have advised him multiple times, but Faisal Karim Kundi does not stop giving statements. If I want, I can remove Faisal Karim Kundi from the Governor’s House.
He emphasised that the Benazir Income Support Programme model needs to be changed. He has asked the federal government to give his province the Benazir Income Support budget for two years. “We will provide our people with businesses worth Rs500,000 each. Why is it that those who receive BISP support remain in the same condition? Why is the number of beneficiaries not decreasing? Why are people not becoming self-reliant? Do not make people dependent on rations; make them stand on their own feet, and your burden will reduce.”
Regarding dams, he said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is going to build two dams on its own. “Think about why Sindh repeatedly floods. Is the water allocated to Sindh being fully utilised? If Sindh believes it will be left thirsty, let’s sit together and decide. Everything can be resolved. If we sit with Sindh, we will give them a larger share of our water. Sindh’s politicians are constrained by their politics.”
Meanwhile, PTI central leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser termed KP chief minister’s support for the Kalabagh Dam as his personal opinion, saying it should not be considered as party policy.
“I wanted to make it clear that it was Ali Amin Khan’s personal opinion to support the Kalabagh dam as it’s the party’s (PTI) policy. We don’t consider that we need Kalabagh dam, and small dams can be constructed,” Asad Qaiser said in a statement that he posted on his ‘X’ handle.
Asad Qaiser Khan said that Ali Amin Khan’s native town (Dera Ismail Khan) needs a big project such as Chashma Right Bank Canal, which can help water requirements and also store water for future use.
“I think controversial issues should not be discussed unnecessarily,” the PTI leader opined.
Meanwhile, speaking to the media outside the Adiala Jail, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan endorsed Gandapur’s stance on the Kalabagh Dam, after a long meeting with founder PTI.
Barrister Gohar said that construction of dams in the country is unavoidable, but it must be done with consensus. He stated that the recent floods have drawn a new map of the country, and the Council of Common Interests (CCI) has also emphasised consensus on the issue of canals.
According to him, natural disasters cannot be prevented, but measures must be taken to mitigate their effects. He stressed that dams are necessary, but they should be built with national agreement.
Meanwhile, major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), ANP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF), have rejected Gandapur’s recent remarks about construction of the Kalabagh Dam.
PPP Sindh president Nisar Khuhro, in a strong rebuttal, reminded that Sindh, Balochistan and even Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had already rejected the project, noting that the KP Assembly itself had passed a resolution against it.
“By supporting the Kalabagh Dam, the KP chief minister is disregarding the will of his own provincial assembly and insulting the mandate of the House,” Khuhro remarked. He added that Gandapur needed to “learn politics” and speak responsibly, noting that the dam’s rejection was already a matter of record. “Perhaps Ali Amin Gandapur was not even in politics when the KP Assembly unanimously opposed the project,” he said.
Khuhro accused the PTI and its founder Imran Khan of covertly backing the dam. “To PTI supporters in Sindh, I want to make it clear: Imran Khan wants the Kalabagh Dam to be built,” he declared.
The PPP leader reiterated that the people of Sindh would never accept the project. “The people of Sindh are willing to sacrifice their lives for the Indus River. Kalabagh Dam is a conspiracy to turn Sindh barren and starve its people,” he asserted.
Questioning PTI’s record, Khuhro asked why key water projects such as the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams had not been completed during its tenure. “Those advocating for Kalabagh must first explain why the Bhasha Dam, despite loans being secured for it, remains incomplete,” he said. Khuhro concluded that PTI’s open support for Kalabagh had “exposed its true face” before the people.
PPP’s provincial general secretary, Humayun Khan, while speaking to a news outlet, also dismissed the proposal, saying the Kalabagh Dam was a project that “can never be revived,” accusing the KP CM of misleading the public.
ANP chief Aimal Wali Khan stated that the Kalabagh Dam was not a solution to recurring floods in the country.
JUIF spokesperson in KP, Abdul Jalil Jan, termed the project a “dead horse” and questioned the CM about his earlier claim of constructing 350 dams.
Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial Chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao criticised Gandapur, calling Kalabagh dam a controversial project.
“Three provincial assemblies in the country have passed unanimous resolutions against the Kalabagh Dam project,” he told a press conference at Watan Kor in Peshawar.
Sikandar Sherpao said the Kalabagh Dam issue was a dead horse, as work was underway on the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams, which were scheduled to be completed in 2030 and 2027, respectively.
He added that the QWP had opposed the construction of the controversial project at every forum and would do so in the future. “We will oppose this issue tooth and nail,” he vowed.
“Pakistan is a federation and raising such controversial issues will undermine it,” he remarked, alleging that certain lobbies were reviving such debates to maintain their hegemony, which was harmful for the federation.
On the other hand, Pakistan Muslim League (PMLN) senior leader and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has described Ali Amin Gandapur’s statement as “welcome” while speaking to the media.
Khawaja Asif stated, “We are currently going through a major crisis. We do not have the capacity to store water; every year, excess water is wasted into the sea.”
In Khawaja Asif’s view, “PTI should not oppose it (Ali Amin Gandapur’s statement) for political reasons.”
Earlier, PMLN leader and Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari had supported the idea of constructing the dam, suggesting that all provinces should work on a joint action plan. Meanwhile, in a statement, Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan welcomed the sentiments expressed by the KP chief minister regarding the construction of the Kalabagh Dam.
He emphasised that Kalabagh along with other new dams should be built with the consensus and consultation of all provinces. He asserted that all four provincial assemblies and chief ministers must jointly find a solution to this pressing national issue, said a press release.
Aleem Khan noted that the construction of new dams is vital to safeguard against future water shortages and natural disasters as well as floods.