Kalabagh Dam plan controversial, says QWP

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Sherpao said on Monday though his party had always supported the judiciary and the rule of law, it would not remain silent if the controversial Kalabagh dam issue was raised.

Speaking at a news conference here at Peshawar Press Club, the QWP leader recalled that the three elected provincial assemblies had unanimously opposed the construction of Kalabagh dam in the past.

“We are very much clear that the construction of Kalabagh dam is harmful for most parts of the country. We cannot and will not allow anyone to inundate our nation and land,” he warned. Sikandar Sherpao also opposed rolling back or making any changes to the 18th Constitutional Amendment and delay in implementation of the developmental plan of newly merged tribal districts. Flanked by QWP leaders Hashim Babar, Dr Alam, Asad Afridi and others, he admitted that the country lacked water resources but it did not mean to divide the nation by raising controversial issues.

He suggested that the government should find many other ideas to secure water, stop wastage, and construct reservoirs in different areas for meeting water requirements. The QWP leader said the government should devise a comprehensive water policy to strengthen the federation instead of endangering it.

Sikandar Sherpao observed that almost all the political parties had opposed the construction of Kalabagh dam and had held protest demonstrations in various parts of the country. The QWP leader said the federal government should stop interfering in the provincial subjects rather it should remove the existing sense of deprivation among the federating units.

He said the federal government should increase the share of the provinces in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award and release funds to the provinces for the welfare and prosperity of the people.

Sikandar Sherpao expressed concern over the delay in the implementation of the plan announced by the previous federal government for the development of the newly merged tribal districts.

He said mere announcements about the merger of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was not enough to serve the people of the hitherto neglected areas, adding the government should give visible road map for progress of the people.