The president of LCCI has said that the statement of Indian prime minister proves that the opponents of Kalabagh Dam are actually safeguarding Indian interests and are fully involved in conspiracy to harm Pakistan.
The ground reality is quite different. Kalabagh dam is a victim of parochialism and ignorance. Benazir Bhutto had said Sindh will become a desert if Kalabagh dam is built, her followers in Sindh and in Punjab think the dam will deplete the Indus and deprive Sindh of its due share of water, are they doing this for any monetary benefit?
Wali Khan had said that he would dynamite the dam if it was built, his followers have been made to believe that the dam will flood Nowshera and other low lying areas and cause water logging of Peshawar valley, is there any monetary benefit involved here?
Three assemblies have passed resolutions against the dam, are we to believe that people’s representatives are on India’s payroll?
No Sir, the fault lies within us, it is our our own people who are not allowing us to build Kalabagh dam, they are even holding the threat of breakup of the federation over our head.
Let us put our own house in order before blaming others. It is we who have to warn the people of the immense dangers of not increasing our storage capacity which was last increased 40 years ago.
Engr Khurshid Anwer
Lahore