Some people say that all of Sindh and half of Punjab is against KBD. If Sindh assembly has passed a resolution against KBD, Punjab assembly has also passed a resolution for KBD. So to say that half of Punjab is against KBD is also not based on knowledge as no referendum has ever been held on the issue.
The South Punjab farmers are on the tail end and suffer grave water shortages. The writer belongs to Southern Punjab in Sadiqabad tehsil where the ground water is mostly saline and farmers need sweet river water while even the non-perennial canals there are dried up. So a blanket statement that half of Punjab is against Kalabagh dam is also not based on facts, which can only be ascertained by a general referendum.
As far as the Indus Water Commissioner is concerned, he was more pro-India and defended the Indian Commissioner’s stand that water had reduced in the rivers while global warming ought to have generated more water from glaciers feeding the rivers. However, it is also true that KBD has been made a victim of politics as also stated by the PM which needs to be rectified.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
