The inauguration ceremony of the Mohmand Dam has been postponed once again, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai told a private TV channel. A new date for the ceremony has yet to be announced. The ceremony for the dam was to be held on January 2 but was rescheduled for January 13 apparently due to a controversy that emerged following the award of the contract of the hydropower project. The chief justice had last week taken offence over not being informed about the rescheduling of the ceremony and had said he may not attend. Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Media Iftikhar Durrani said a new date would be announced after consultation with Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, who would attend the inauguration ceremony. He ruled out the impression that the project’s inauguration had been delayed due to any controversies. He said the tender for the project was awarded in the PML-N government’s tenure and the incumbent government had no role in the matter. The chief justice has paid close attention to the issue of water scarcity and ordered the creation of a dam fund in July last year ? a fund that appeals to the general public and overseas Pakistanis for donations for the construction of the Mohmand Dam and the Diamer-Bhasha Dam. The top judge’s initiative was later joined by the prime minister. The construction of the Rs309 billion Mohmand dam ? which will be situated on the Swat river in the Manda area ? is said to be imperative to resolve the problems of water scarcity and electricity shortfall in the country. Published in Daily Times, January 14th 2019.