Faizan Butt’s letter of May 19 analyses the reasons for poverty in Pakistan but misses an important factor: the downturn in industry and agriculture. Private sector industry at one time was a major employer of the country’s work force, not any longer now that half the national industry is shut down due to power shortage.
Agriculture has the potential of absorbing 40 percent of the country’s labour force which it cannot meet due to the severe water shortage.
Politically motivated, unproductive and limited employment in the public sector is no substitute for the traditional role of the private sector. The forced employment where no vacancies exist also converts these entities into financial liabilities. This then becomes a stumbling block in their privatisation. The example of KESC is before us.
To put the ship of state back on the keel we badly need mega quantities of power and water which only mega dams can give us, Kalabgh dam being the quickest means of achieving that goal. We only need to revisit the Water Apportionment Accord of 1991 to see that consensus on Kalabagh dam has already been achieved, “All the provinces are agreed on the necessity of more dams on all the rivers including on the Indus”. Sindh is a signatory to the Award.
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
