Judicial commission on Kalabagh Dam ruled out

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Tuesday ruled out the possibility of establishing a judicial commission on the issue of Kalabagh Dam’s construction.
However, he said there is no harm in calling an all parties conference (APC) on the issue of water crisis.
The minister, while responding to speeches of MNAs on expected water crisis in the future at the National Assembly, said parliament being the sovereign institution was the more appropriate forum to take up such issues.
Khawaja Asif said the issue was of great significance for all the provinces as there are conflicting views among them on the construction of new water reservoirs. He said keeping in view importance of the matter, the members should be given more time to discuss it. He said electricity problem would be solved in three to four years, but it seems that the water issue would take time to settle.
Earlier, MNAs called for evolving consensus on issue of construction of water reservoirs in the country without compromising the national unity. Taking part in debate on a motion, the parliamentarians called upon the government to take the issue of construction of water reservoirs on priority basis. The House had adopted the motion moved by Muhammad Muzammil Qureshi of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to discuss the issue of expected water crisis in the country.
Lawmakers from both the opposition and treasury while highlighting significance of construction of big and small water reservoirs observed that there should be an APC to reach a consensus on the issue of national importance.
Sher Akbar of the JI while asking the government to construct dams on priority to meet the growing energy needs and tackle water shortage in the country said no significant water reservoir had been built after Tarbela dam. He said Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces had reservations over Kalabagh dam and the government should refrain from initiating disputed projects.
Dr Muhammad Afzal Khan of the PML-N said evolving consensus on Kalabagh dam was must as no project could be initiated at the cost of national unity. He said it was strange that in some parts of the country some people are drowning in floodwater and some are dying due to non-availability of water. He said the Greater Thar Canal project should be completed at the earliest so that water could reach the Thar areas, which are in dire need of water. Aftab Ahmed Sherpao of the QWP said there should be an effective strategy to tackle floods and bring down the scale of their devastation. He also stressed the need of consensus on raising water reservoirs.
Abdul Sattar Bachani of the PPP said construction of small dams at a minimum cost is more viable as compared to big reservoirs.
Dr Amjad Niazi of the PTI said as per a study published in an international journal, Pakistan’s biggest issue would be water after the year 2025. He highlighted importance of building new water reservoirs on war-footings to tackle energy crisis, ensure provision of clean drinking water, bring maximum land under cultivation and protect people from floods.
Maulana Gohar Shah of the JUI-F stressed to construct Munda Dam at the earliest as it would help irrigate more barren land and generate employment especially in its surrounding localities.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that water crisis should be discussed and tackled as a national issue.
Abdul Rashid Godil of the MQM said 10,000 to 12,000 megawatts electricity could be produced by constructing small dams in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only, apart from other resources like coal, wind and solar.
Sardar Awais Leghari of the PML-N said it was a history of all civilisations that water always remained their strength, but unfortunately there was no realisation for its conservation. He underlined the need for promoting the culture of rain-harvesting across the country and devising an effective plan to stop wasting even a single drop of water. He said importance of water was higher than energy, saying that there was no alternative for water. Mehmood Khan Achakzai said 50,000MW electricity could be produced from Swat river. He said 110 million acre feet water, passing under Khairabad bridge go waste every year.
Ubaidullah Shadikhel of the PML-N said he lived in the area where water fell from mountains at approximately 1,050 feet height and always played havoc in the form of flash floods. He urged political parties to avoid making Kalabagh dam controversial.