PM Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has reportedly promised mega projects including Diamir Basha Dam in Northern areas costing $14 billion while he has a history of backtracking on his promises. While exploding six nuclear devices some 17 years ago, he had promised to construct Kalabagh Dam but he has since completely forgotten his promise. Similarly he has publically declared to make Bhasha dam at a cost of $14 billion. He has not mentioned as to how he would gather $14 billion for the dam and how he would remove India’s objections on Bhasha dam being located in a disputed area.
Already a decade has gone by since the first ground breaking was done for Bhasha Dam in 2006 and still there is no inkling for funding by the World Bank. On the other hand World Bank had paid for feasibility study of KBD and had plans to fund the entire cost of dam but the plans were dropped behind the smokescreen of lack of consensus for the dam. Since then it has been declared to have become victim of politics. What brand of a politician Mian sb is that he could not forge a consensus even with is heavy mandate which was used only to buoy him to become a third time Prime Minister without a serious effort to achieve consensus on the dam.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
