News
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Petition moved in SC to decide Kalabagh Dam issue
Staff Report
LAHORE: Former Punjab food and agriculture minister Sultan Ali Chaudhry and a journalist on Friday moved a petition before Supreme Court, requesting it to decide the issue of Kalabagh Dam according to the constitution.
The petition is filed against all the four provinces and the federal government authorities, including the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). The petitioners counsel, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, stated that Pakistan had lost water of Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers to India as a result of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960.
He said due to constant infighting between provinces, the country had been unable to fully utilise water from the remaining three rivers, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. He stated that India had built 4,291 dams and another 695 dams were expected even on Chenab and Jhelum rivers. On the other hand, Pakistan could only be able to build Tarbela and Mangla dams while Kalabagh Dam had been shelved as a pipedream owing to internal differences, he added.
He submitted that India was now claiming the right on rivers attributed to Pakistan. He stated that the authorities should be asked to justify as to why such an important and necessary project had been forsaken.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk