Kalabagh Dam has become a political issue and only technical people can develop a consensus among the provinces on this issue, said Minister for Planning and Development and Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Ahsan Iqbal on Friday.
“It is the duty of the technical bodies like Pakistan Engineering Congress and Institution of Engineers Pakistan to develop a consensus among the provinces. We cannot build a dam on the cost of federation, we should respect the views of other provinces on this issue and Kalabagh Dam can only build by consensus.” Ahsan while addressing the 72 Annual Session of the Pakistan Engineering Congress (PEC) said that government is serious in overcoming the energy crisis and has devised a plan to add 45,000MW in the national grid in its vision 2025.
He said that the government has started work on the Dasu and Dia Meer Bhasha Dam and after their completion 8,000MW will be added in the grid. Former chairman Wapda Engineer Shamsul Mulk and President Engineering Congress Engineer Riaz Ahmad Khan also expressed his views on the occasion. Ahsan said government is also working on the alternate energy projects and in this regard work on Thar coal power plant has been started with the collaboration of Chinese companies. He said that work has also started on 2,000MW nuclear power plant in Karachi.
While pointing out the reasons of crises, he said that lack of planning is reason behind energy crises. Unfortunately, for the last many years there was no five year plan. “I am foreseeing water crisis in coming years, this is time to planning our water needs,” Ahsan said. While criticising the PTI Chief Imran Khan’s agitational politics Ahsan said that our country is passing through difficult times and it cannot afford destabilisation at this time. He said that people of the country has given the mandate to all major political parties in May 13 elections.
He advised Imran Khan to work for the uplift of the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for which the people of KP voted for. He also said that KP is badly affected by terrorism and Imran Khan should work hard to root out terrorism from KP. Ahsan said that our country cannot afford destabilisation because we are unable to make budget in six months without the support of IMF and Coalition Support Fund.
He also said that some politicians want to war with the US but they do not understand that world is now changing, Iran, which had conflicts with America, is now improving its ties with US. In the same way, Pakistan should have good relations with all the countries and resolve all our issues through dialogue, he added. Ahsan said that institutions are strengthening in Pakistan and in the last five years we have witnessed five smooth transitions. We have free judiciary and vibrant media adding that all these indicators shows that we are moving in right direction.
He said that the problem is that the non-technical people take technical decisions adding that Pakistan cannot be an atomic power if the atomic program is in the hands of bureaucrats. He also announced on the occasion that he will try his best to provide service structures to the engineers.
