Kalabagh Dam: Centre’s job to develop consensus: LHC

LAHORE:

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court (LHC) said on Wednesday that the federal government should try to resolve the differences among the provinces over the construction of Kalabagh Dam.

The chief justice said that the project had been pending since 1952.

He said it was the federal government’s responsibility to develop consensus on the dam.

He noted that the country faced a severe power shortage. The court adjourned the hearing till October 29. At the onset of proceedings on Wednesday, the petitioner’s counsel argued that the dam was essential for the development and progress of Pakistan. He said it had been held up due to politics.

He said the government was deliberately delaying work on the project.

He said if there were differences between the provinces, it was the responsibility of the federal government to resolve them.

A lawyer representing the federal government said that three of the four provinces had expressed deep concerns about the dam. Their assemblies had passed resolutions against the dam. He said the matter had still not been taken up by the Council of Common Interests.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2012.