Reference the statement of MQM-H Chief Afaq Ahmed on Kalabagh dam, not all those opposing the dam are doing so on the directives of some forces, they are opposing because the issue of Kalabagh dam has been badly politicised. The people have been told that the dam will deplete the flow in the Indus and turn Sindh into a desert, that Punjab will steal Sindh’s water because the dam is in Punjab, that the dam will have an adverse effect on the Indus delta etc. All this propaganda is false. The dam will only store surplus flood water without affecting the normal flow of the Indus, the federal body IRSA will operate the dam and Punjab will get only its reduced 37 percent share same as Sindh’s increased 37 percent share as per the Water Accord of 1991, also under the Accord engineers from the Sindh irrigation department are monitoring the flow in Punjab’s canals and have not reported any misappropriation of water to date, the flow in the Indus will increase when Sindh’s share is released into it hence there will be no adverse effect on the Indus delta. This is what the people need to be told if opposition to Kalabagh dam is to be countered. MQM-H will do a great public service if they undertake this task.
ENGR KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
