The Lahore High Court Chief Justice (CJ) on Thursday gave last opportunity to federal government to file reply in a petition seeking construction of Kala Bagh Dam (KBD) to end the power crisis in the country. The CJ on last hearing had directed the government to apprise about the benefits of KBD projects.
However, a law officer sought more time to file the reply on behalf of the government. The chief accepted the request and adjourned hearing till October 11 with last opportunity to the government to file the reply. During the course of hearing former legal advisor of World Bank Bashir A. Malik told the court that many forces were in action against the construction of the KBD. He said the construction of the dam was vital, otherwise, India and Afghanistan would start using water of Pakistan soon.
The petitioner a bar member Syed Feroz Shah Gillani stated in his petition that former caretaker chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Wapda ex-chairman Shamsul Mulk in a statement said KBD was not an issue of Punjab alone but a matter of the country’s survival that was at stake due to fast depleting water resources. Advocate Gillani said if KBD was built water would be available for vast area of land in the KPK at affordable price. He said the government should ask Council of Common Interests to remove differences among the provinces and the federation.
