ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa called on Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar at the apex court building on Monday and presented a cheque of Rs1005.99 million as a donation to the Diamer-Basha and Mohmand dams fund set up by the top court.
The Pakistani military had announced in July to contribute funds for the construction of Diamer-Basha and Mohmand Dams.
“The officers of army, navy and air force will contribute their two days’ pay, while soldiers [will be donating] one day’s pay to the announced fund for this national cause,” military’s spokesperson had then said.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Asif Ghafoor, Gen Bajwa said that the Pakistan Army will continue to contribute towards nation building as a national institution.
“COAS met CJP at Supreme Court of Pakistan. COAS handed over cheque of Rs. One billion (1005.919 M) as donation by Pakistan Army Personnel and its welfare organisations for Dam Fund. “Pak Army shall continue to contribute towards nation building as a national institution”, COAS,” the tweet stated.
COAS met CJP at Supreme Court of Pakistan. COAS handed over cheque of Rs. One billion (1005.919 M) as donation by Pakistan Army Personnel and its welfare organisations for Dam Fund. “Pak Army shall continue to contribute towards nation building as a national institution”, COAS. pic.twitter.com/2zINJgFErw
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) September 10, 2018
In his letter to the chief justice, the COAS said, “It gives me immense pleasure to share with you that the Supreme Court’s decision regarding construction of ‘Diamer Bhasha’ and ‘Mohmand Dam’ has been well received by Pakistan Army.”
He said that all ranks of the army, including civilian officers, junior commissioned officers and soldiers, had contributed in order to support the initiative.
“Pakistan Army’s welfare organisations have also voluntarily made contributions for this cause,” the letter read.
Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan had appealed for public donations to the dams fund set up by the Supreme Court.
“I want to commend Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar [for starting the dams fund], but this was not his job,” he said. “This was the job of civilian leaders who knew this was going to swell into a crisis but did nothing to thwart it.”
“I want to take over the fund-raising and want overseas Pakistanis to contribute like they used to do for the Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital,” he said.
The prime minister asked all overseas Pakistanis to make as many donations as they can to the dams fund in dollars to plug the country’s depleting foreign exchange reserves as well as provide funding to start building dams, which he said he would personally oversee.