Controversial project: ANP criticises LHC’s remarks on Kalabagh Dam
Afrasiab Khattak says the court is voicing the opinion of the Punjab govt, claims verdict will be partial
PESHAWAR:
The Lahore High Court endorses provincialism, which is evident in its comments on the Kalabagh Dam, said Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) President Senator Afrasiab Khan Khattak.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he said that the construction of the Dam will be unjust to K-P as it would increase the chances of the province being flooded as witnessed in the 2010 floods. The LHC is urrently hearing a petition filed by the chairman of the judicial activism panel and others claiming that if Kalabagh Dam is not made, Punjab will become an agriculturally barren land. While deferring the case till October 31, the court said there should be consensus on the project, terming it in the “national interest”.
“The purpose of making the Dam is to stop the flow of River Indus into Sindh, which would flood K-P more frequently,” said Khattak.
“The Kalabagh Dam is a matter of life and death for K-P and we will never support its construction,” said Khattak adding that the judiciary should abstain from fuelling controversies between provinces. Khattak also strongly opposed the LHC chief justice’s remarks that objections to the project by Sindh and K-P were political, saying: “It was a technical issue and no party has played politics on it.”
“We honour the independence of the judiciary and stood by it against dictators. The judiciary should not make itself a controversial institution,” Khattak added.
Any chances of deliberating this issue in the Council of Common Interest (CCI) as LHC suggested in its remarks were also rejected by the senator.
“The LHC is basically fighting the case for the Punjab Government and the court’s remarks are the sentiments of the provincial government,” said Khattak.
He said the LHC’s verdict is bound to be partial since Punjab is the only province that supports the construction of the dam.
Khattak requested the Supreme Court to intervene in the issue and restrain the LHC from getting involved.
He believed that if smaller provinces’ interests continue to be ignored, it will destroy their faith in the judiciary.
Talking about other coalition parties in the government, he said the Pakistan Peoples Party and the ANP are united in their standpoint. Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had also opposed the construction of this Dam when he was the minister for water and power.
“It would be in the interest of the nation to focus on the construction of Bhasha and Katzara Dam which have been approved as feasible projects by experts,” said Khattak.
He told journalists that the construction of these Dams would fulfil the energy requirements of the country for at least 100 years, adding that the Kalabagh Dam is technically not as effective.
The Lahore High Court endorses provincialism, which is evident in its comments on the Kalabagh Dam, said Awami National Party (ANP) Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) President Senator Afrasiab Khan Khattak.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he said that the construction of the Dam will be unjust to K-P as it would increase the chances of the province being flooded as witnessed in the 2010 floods. The LHC is urrently hearing a petition filed by the chairman of the judicial activism panel and others claiming that if Kalabagh Dam is not made, Punjab will become an agriculturally barren land. While deferring the case till October 31, the court said there should be consensus on the project, terming it in the “national interest”.
“The purpose of making the Dam is to stop the flow of River Indus into Sindh, which would flood K-P more frequently,” said Khattak.
“The Kalabagh Dam is a matter of life and death for K-P and we will never support its construction,” said Khattak adding that the judiciary should abstain from fuelling controversies between provinces. Khattak also strongly opposed the LHC chief justice’s remarks that objections to the project by Sindh and K-P were political, saying: “It was a technical issue and no party has played politics on it.”
“We honour the independence of the judiciary and stood by it against dictators. The judiciary should not make itself a controversial institution,” Khattak added.
Any chances of deliberating this issue in the Council of Common Interest (CCI) as LHC suggested in its remarks were also rejected by the senator.
“The LHC is basically fighting the case for the Punjab Government and the court’s remarks are the sentiments of the provincial government,” said Khattak.
He said the LHC’s verdict is bound to be partial since Punjab is the only province that supports the construction of the dam.
Khattak requested the Supreme Court to intervene in the issue and restrain the LHC from getting involved.
He believed that if smaller provinces’ interests continue to be ignored, it will destroy their faith in the judiciary.
Talking about other coalition parties in the government, he said the Pakistan Peoples Party and the ANP are united in their standpoint. Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf had also opposed the construction of this Dam when he was the minister for water and power.
“It would be in the interest of the nation to focus on the construction of Bhasha and Katzara Dam which have been approved as feasible projects by experts,” said Khattak.
He told journalists that the construction of these Dams would fulfil the energy requirements of the country for at least 100 years, adding that the Kalabagh Dam is technically not as effective.