I would request the politicians to ponder seriously over the question of KBD which would be a win-win situation for all the provinces with Sindh and Punjab getting 37 percent share each while KP would get 14 percent and Balochistan 12 percent of water along with generation of 3,600 MW of cheap power at Rs1.52 per unit. I can’t believe that KP supremo would not want 8 lac acres of virgin land in DIK to be irrigated and almost seven billion dollars to be invested in Mianwali district for KBD that would change the map of development in the province. Punjab and Sindh would get enough water for Cholistan, Thar and Karachi while Balochistan would get enough water for Kachi Canal which would remain water starved if KBD is not built.
The people of Pakistan are wise enough to see the radiant benefits of KBD but the politicians of Pakistan have made a Gordian knot of KBD which has not been untangled so far. It requires the sword of Alexander the Great for cutting the knot or a FM like late Ayub Khan to decide the issue, like building of Tarbela Dam which was not agreed to by the redoubtable CM Sindh Mr Khuro. No nation can survive if its political masters do not see reason and are adamant in their obstinate ways as has happened in Pakistan. One prays that Allah Almighty may instill wisdom in the minds of our leaders that can’t see the light of day while insisting that it is night perpetually.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
