During the hearing of petitions for the construction of the Kalabagh Dam on Tuesday, Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial said bringing about an agreement on the dam’s construction among all four provinces was the need of the hour.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the petitioners’ counsel, advocate AK Dogar, requested the court to conclude the case as soon as possible “as the construction of the dam held a significant position when it came to public interest”.
Dogar claimed that the project was being delayed without good reason, adding that in 1991, the chief ministers of the four provinces had signed an agreement at the Council for Common Interests paving the way for the dam’s construction. Dogar complained there had been no implementation on the agreement.
The LHC chief justice enquired whether the decision of the CCI could be held as final. Dogar replied that the CCI was a constitutional institution that was mandated with resolving differences among provinces, and the federal government was bound to follow the council’s decisions.
Dogar further told the court that building the dam was a fundamental right of the public and that the opposition to its construction was political. He said political interference in the matter could not be given priority over fundamental rights. In his remarks, Justice Bandial said Kalabagh Dam was an issue among the four provinces and could, therefore, not be resolved without consensus.
He added that public interest would not be compromised.
Consensus on Kalabagh Dam need of the hour: LHC
