Diamer Bhasha Dam: SC to resolve land demarcation issue

ISLAMABAD: Chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Thursday said that the issue relating to land demarcation of Diamer Bhasha Dam between Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) would not affect its construction and they would resolve the royalty problem.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar resumed hearing into the instant matter. During the hearing, KP and GB law officers, appeared before the court while Additional Attorney General informed the court that a commission led by Justice Tanveer Ahmed had issued its report on the royalty and land demarcation in the instant matter.

Law officer from Gilgit Baltistan, however, informed the court that they have not yet received the report as well to which the chief justice questioned as to whether the report was not available on the court’s website. The court was informed that being sensitive, the report was not made public.

Law officer form Khyber Pukhtunkhwa told the court that they have provided in its report the map of jurisdiction regarding the dam. Meanwhile, the court directed that the commission report compiled on the subject be provided to both the governments of the Khyber Pukhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan and asked both them to submit their replies on it.

The chief justice observed that the issue of royalty as well as land demarcation would not affect the construction of Diamer Bhasha Dam adding that they will resolve the matter as there is a dire need of construction of the said dam in order to overcome the problem of water issue in the country. Later, the court adjourned the hearing for date-in-office.