ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Tuesday said that those saying that asking for donations for the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams construction is equivalent to “begging” should be ashamed of themselves.
During the hearing of the Punjab Kidney and Liver Institute (PKLI) case, the CJP said that the construction of water reservoirs is of paramount importance and will benefit the country. “We started this out of love for the country, but people falsely accuse our intentions.”
“To ask for help for national progress is not begging, those who term it as so should be ashamed,” he said, adding “narrow-minded people have such thinking.”
During the hearing, a construction contractor suggested that the contract for the dam project could be allotted to him as he would keep the costs minimal, at this, the chief justice sought a written quotation of the construction costs.
Earlier in July, the top judge had established a dam fund to raise money for the construction.
Moreover, last week, the prime minister joined forces with the top judge and appealed to overseas Pakistanis to contribute generously to the fund.
The premier had said, “I urge overseas Pakistanis to contribute to this fund. If every overseas Pakistani contributes to this we will be able to construct the dams and our reserves will also improve.”
On Monday, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa handed over a cheque of more than Rs 1 billion to CJP Mian Saqib Nisar in the Prime Minister-CJP fund for the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dam.
The army chief also handed a letter to the CJP, stating that officers of the Pakistan Army, including civilian staffers, had donated their two-day salaries, while junior commissioned officers and army’s civilian workforce had donated a day’s salary to the dam fund.
According to the letter, welfare organisations linked with Pakistan Army have also made a voluntary contribution to the cause.
“In sum, I am pleased to intimate that an accumulated amount of over a billion rupees has been collected and deposited in the Supreme Court’s Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dam Fund,” states the letter.