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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Seraiki Party has unexpectedly withdrawn its decades-old position on Kalabagh Dam and says now alternatives must be given priority to enhance existing water storage capacity of the country and to meet irrigation requirements.
“The KBD should be built only after evolving a broad-based consensus through a representative commission, comprising stakeholders, political and technical people, and ultimately taking the matter to the Parliament for a decision,” PSP Chairman Taj Muhammad Langah told The News on Saturday.
The Seraiki party had never been in support of the KBD not only at the time of its announcement in 1980s but also later including in the Nawaz Sharif era (1997-99) and Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorial rule (1999-2007) when full-fledged moves were launched. To a question, Langah admitted that the KBD is the most suitable and beneficial for Siraiki areas. “But the provinces have severe differences, therefore, we would not call for its immediate construction.
“It must have been built before Tarbela and Mangla dams or at least shortly after them in 1976-77 as it has gone controversial with the passage of the time and there is hardly a chance now of inter-provincial agreement,” he said. The Seraiki nationalist said in categorical terms that the courts have nothing to do with the KBD, which he described a political issues rather a constitutional or legal matter. “We do not agree with the court decision on its construction but want that it should be handled through political means and taking the leadership into confidence.”
“The KBD should be built only after evolving a broad-based consensus through a representative commission, comprising stakeholders, political and technical people, and ultimately taking the matter to the Parliament for a decision,” PSP Chairman Taj Muhammad Langah told The News on Saturday.
The Seraiki party had never been in support of the KBD not only at the time of its announcement in 1980s but also later including in the Nawaz Sharif era (1997-99) and Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorial rule (1999-2007) when full-fledged moves were launched. To a question, Langah admitted that the KBD is the most suitable and beneficial for Siraiki areas. “But the provinces have severe differences, therefore, we would not call for its immediate construction.
“It must have been built before Tarbela and Mangla dams or at least shortly after them in 1976-77 as it has gone controversial with the passage of the time and there is hardly a chance now of inter-provincial agreement,” he said. The Seraiki nationalist said in categorical terms that the courts have nothing to do with the KBD, which he described a political issues rather a constitutional or legal matter. “We do not agree with the court decision on its construction but want that it should be handled through political means and taking the leadership into confidence.”
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