Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) lawmakers reacted angrily to remarks made by newly-appointed Minister for Water Resources Syed Javed Ali Shah on the Kala Bagh Dam issue in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

He was responding to a point of order raised by PPPP MNA Nawab Muhammad Yousuf Talpur.

“According to the agreement of the Indus River System Authority (IRSA), when the water reservoir level in Tarbela Dam crosses a height of 1,530 feet, the authority is bound to save two feet of water per day in the dam, but it is only saving one feet of water daily,” Talpur said.

“A similar practice was also adopted by IRSA last year. This caused droughts and water shortage in Sind. Does the government want to ruin the agriculture system of our province?” he asked.

He suggested that the government initiate work on Diamer-Bhasha Dam and include it in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

However, the situation became tense when Javed Ali Shah said that Kala Bagh Dam could also be constructed after evolving consensus on the issue.

“Once the consensus is developed, the issue will not be allowed to be politicized. Rejecting the project on the basis of prejudice will be enmity against the country,” he said.

“If the PPPP considers itself the representative of all the four provinces, then why is it against this project?” he asked.

The statement prompted a strong reaction from opposition benches, especially from the PPPP. PPPP’s Shagufta Jumani said: “The statement of the minister hurt our feelings. The minister tried to raise an issue which is totally dead.”

“The provincial assemblies of three provinces have already rejected the Kala Bagh Dam project. So this should not be discussed in the house again,” she said. PPPP MNA Ayaz Soomro said: “Anything which can harm democracy should not be discussed. Kala Bagh Dam can only be constructed over our dead bodies.” Talking part in the discussion, MNA Dr Fehmida Mirza asked officials to update lawmakers over the status of the disputed Kishanganga-Dam, which was being constructed by India.

Awami National Party MNA Haji Ghulam Ahmed Belour also advised the treasury benches not to reopen the Kala Bagh Dam issue which had been settled once in past. “We will not allow the construction of Kala Bagh Dam,” he said.

Ghulam Sarwar Khan of the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf also criticised the government.

“Actions speak louder than words. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) has the majority in centre, Punjab and Balochistan. Why is it not initiating the project and only issuing statements?” he asked.

PML-N’s Rana Muhammad Hayat said that Kala Bagh Dam clarified that the minister had said that the project would only be reopened if consensus was reached. Parveen Nusrat Bhatti blamed the delay in the construction of the Kala Bagh Dam for the prevailing water and electricity shortage in the country. “Criticising Punjab for utilising maximum resources is totally unjust. Prejudices against the province should end,” he said.

Various bills were also presented in the House on Tuesday, including the Criminal Law (Amendment) 2017, The Federal Employees Benevolent Fund and Group Insurance (Amendment) Bill, 2017, The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill and The National Database and Registration Authority (Amendment) Bill. The chair referred the bills to their respective standing committees for further deliberation.

Published in Daily Times, August 9^th 2017.