It is reported in the print media that Bhasha dam conference did not receive active promises of its funding by IFC and only a promise was made to do risk study of the dam for subsequent reference to govt of Pakistan. Since the promise of funding US$ 14 billion for Bhasha is ever receding in the unforeseeable future while promise of World Bank for funding KBD still stands, would it not be wise to pitch for KBD as the first priority? The first ground breaking of Bhasha was done in 2006 and the second in 2011. While eight years have passed without any sign of progress on the horizon, we are sucking like a child on the same lollypop without seeing any light at the end of tunnel.
The finance minister has tried his best to be a master of spinning but no cloth is in evidence. The mental block in the way of KBD ought to be removed and a massive effort be made by the ruling PML-N to forge the elusive consensus on the dam to save Pakistan from water and power shortage in the present decade. The test of the govt lies in making a Herculean effort for achieving consensus on the dam as the option of failure cannot even be thought of. The PML-N supremoes are on trial and if they fail on KBD the posterity would curse them till doomsday.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
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