ISLAMABAD: Former chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Irshad Hassan Khan on Sunday donated Rs0.4 million to Supreme Court of Pakistan Diamer Basha and Mohmand Dam Fund.
He presented the cheque during a meeting with CJP Mian Saqib Nisar at Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry.
On Saturday, the top judge warned those criticising his dams’ construction initiative of invoking Article 6, which deals with high treason.
Justice Nisar had remarked that elements hell-bent on creating hurdles in the way of building dams are traitors and enemies of the state.
The remarks came during the proceedings of a suo motu case at the Supreme Court’s Lahore Registry against free extraction of groundwater by bottled water companies.
Hinting at invoking Article 6 of the Constitution – applicable in high treason cases – against elements opposing building new dams, he had said he was trying to determine if the scope of this article allowed it to be invoked against “opponents of this national cause”.
“I received a WhatsApp message, opposing the dam building effort. I will work relentlessly in this regard,” the CJP had said. “Everyone opposing this effort is a traitor and an enemy of the state.”
The CJP had also said that the construction of Kalabagh Dam will be followed after the completion of Diamer-Bhasha project, adding that the former will be a “genuine guarantor of the country’s survival”.
While addressing a ceremony in Lahore, he had said, “After Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams, we would build Kalabagh Dam as well, if the nation stays united.”
The dams fund initiated by Prime Minister Imran Khan and the CJP has attracted a number of donors from the public and private sector.
The chief justice has himself announced to donate Rs 1 lac in the fundraising campaign while Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said he would “like to donate one-year salary to the Diamer-Bhasha Dam”.
Pakistani popstar Atif Aslam has donated Rs 2.5 million for the construction of dams in the country. He has endorsed the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) mission to eliminate the water crisis. Atif Aslam called on CJP Nisar at his residence in Islamabad and presented him the cheque.
National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser donated his first salary in the dams fund, making an appeal to all Pakistanis to take part in the noble cause.
Famed cricket umpire Aleem Dar has donated $10,000 to the Diamer-Bhasha Dam fund.
Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Masnoor Khan called on the chief justice and presented him a cheque of Rs 0.5 million as donation.
Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed had announced that the department would provide Rs100 million annually as funds for the construction of dams.
“Fares have been raised for the sole purpose of donating Rs100 million yearly to the PM-CJ Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dams Fund,” said the railways minister while addressing a press conference at the Pakistan Railways Headquarters.
He had said, “On Rs100 ticket the ministry will charge Re1 extra and Rs2 on more than Rs100 ticket. For air-conditioned sleeper coaches, the fare will be increased up to Rs10.”
Moreover, a number of local and overseas Pakistanis shared screenshots of their online transaction receipt while contributing in the fund.
