The Punjab Forum, on Friday, said that after the refusal of international donors to finance the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, the government should seriously consider the construction of a dam on Kalabagh.
Asian Development Bank has gone back on its commitment to fund the Bhasha dam, while the World Bank has already refused funding over a lame excuse which has dealt a serious blow to Pakistan, it said.
Baig Raj, president of the Punjab Forum said, “We have already lost over $36 billion due to delays in construction of the Kalabagh dam. The government must now consider constructing it since neither ADB nor WB has objections to funding it.” Opposition to the construction of KBD is not based on technical grounds, it is a political issue being fanned on the behest of India to destabilize Pakistan, he added.
Baig said that the manner in which the government abandoned KBD amounts to an unforgivable crime. Instead of taking up the project for national debate and dialogue at the Council of Common Interest or the parliament, the government simply shelved it for good without considering consequences.
Expressing sorrow over loss of life and property in the recent floods in Nowshera, he said that only way to save this city in the future is the construction of KBD, while ANP, one of the biggest opponents of the dam, should be held responsible for the losses.
He called upon the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to pressurize the ANP leadership to change its stance for a better future for future generations.
Baig said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh will not become arid zones if the dam is constructed, these provinces will become barren in the absence of this mega project.
“Bhasha dam will not help irrigate agricultural lands as no canals can be made in the hilly terrain while KBD will help water seven million acres of land and produce 3800 megawatts of electricity. It will have a positive impact on the lives of tens of millions of people”, he added.
Punjab Forum called upon politicians to not play to the tune of India and stop opposing KBD, the most studied site in the last three decades, so that national consensus can be built to guarantee prosperity.
