ANP MNA to ‘support’ Kalabagh Dam

Nawabzada Khawaja Muhammad
Khan (ANP MNA)

The Nation
ISLAMABAD - The caucus of likeminded leaders in ANP, who do not subscribe to the party line on Kalabagh Dam issue and other vital matters, is reportedly growing wider. The party caucus is vocal to slam ANP’s top command for corruption and mismanagement. 

On one hand, the top command of Awami National Party adopts a rigid stance against the formation of Kalabagh Dam and does not deem it worthy even to discuss this subject while on the other hand, senior party leaders like MNA Nawabzada Khawaja Muhammad Khan Hoti believe that opposing KBD for the sake of opposition is actually a deviation tactic to divert the attention of public from key issues like corruption, inflation, joblessness, power crisis and law and order situation.

Talking to The Nation on Friday, Hoti, who heads a powerful caucus of likeminded leaders within ANP, said that Kalabagh Dam should be constructed if all the four provinces were on board on KBD issue. “I think if all the four provinces reach consensus then KBD should be constructed, there is no harm in it. However, alternative arrangements should be made for the lands of the people of Mardan and related region, which could be affected by KBD,” he said.

The MNA said that even if consensus on KBD was not possible, the government had the option to build other dams like Bagliar, Karzar and Bhasha dam. “The real issue is to overcome power shortage.
Had this government constructed dams since last three years, the problem of electricity shortfall would have been addressed,” he said. The former federal minister said that each of the three aforementioned dams was capable of generating 800 mega watts to 1000 mega watts of electricity. 

“If these dams were constructed when the incumbent Government had assumed power, Pakistan would not have seen darkness due to load shedding,” he added.

When reminded that the Government was mulling over constructing Diamir Bhasha dam and it had formed a committee in this regard, Nawabzada Khawaja Muhammad Khan Hoti said in deploring tone, “Well you know, I know and everybody knows about the fate of such titular committees. 

They would not move an inch for anything productive. All these rulers are interested in money. Money by means of corrupt practices is the sole goal of their lives. I say, if not KBD, then build any other dam, but at least do something instead of making hollow promises with the nation. These issues like opposing KBD are just deceptive tactics by the rulers to hush-up their corrupt practices and failures.”