Rs1.3m collected for CJ’s dams fund in 5 days

ISLAMABAD: The fund established by the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, for the construction of two major dams has so far received Rs1.32 million donations from across Pakistan, including Rs01 million seed money from the chief justice, official website of the apex court shows.

According to official website of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the “Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dam Fund--2018” established on the directives of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar received Rs1.2 million donations in first two days ie July 5-6, 2018. The Fund further received Rs125, 522 in next three days. As per the official website of the apex court a total of Rs1, 326,672 has been deposited in the Fund.

It is pertinent to mention here that Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has donated Rs01 million for the construction of Diamer -Bhasha and Mohmand Dam; whereas, the common people have deposited Rs326, 672 in last four days. In order to ensure transparency, the Supreme Court is updating the total contributions made by the public in this fund on its website on daily basis.

However, the figure may get a boost after the announcement of support from ISPR DG that the two days salaries of armed forces officers and one day salary of Jawans will be deposited into this Fund. Following this example, Senate chairman has also announced to donate Rs1.5 million for this purpose.

Meanwhile, former Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, on his social networking website Twitter, claimed that the PML-N federal government has already allocated Rs23 billion and Rs2 billion in PSDP for Diamer- Bhasha and Mohmand Dams for fiscal year 2018-19.

It is pertinent to mention here that the apex court on July 4 had directed the Finance Ministry for creating an account for Diamer-Bhasha Dam and Mohmand Dam Fund-2018. The Supreme Court also appealed the masses for their generous contribution so that both the dams could be contracted to meet country’s water and energy requirements.

The fund will be operated under the directions of the Supreme Court and for this purpose an implementation committee has already been constituted which will supervise it. In its directives, the apex court has also made it clear that the funds in this account will not be used for any other purpose under any circumstances, and the money will be utilised for the construction of dams only. The apex court, in its directives, also made it clear that no authority or department--be it FBR or any other--will ask no question related to source of funds contributed to this account. It is worth mentioning that during the last 18 years almost every head of the government has performed groundbreaking ceremony of this project but no civil work could be commenced due to lack of funds. The previous governments have already spent billions of rupees on the land acquisition but no concrete progress has been made so for.