Only joint Parliament session has the powers to undo Council of Common Interest (CCI) decisions therefore, the government is left with no other option but to implement CCI decisions as per LHC orders. This was stated by the former chairman Pakistan Poultry Association and former senior vice president LCCI Abdul Basit in a statement issued on Saturday.
He said that the Lahore High Court orders have saved the country and its people from poverty and hunger. He said that the biggest beneficiaries of Kalabagh Dam are people of Sindh, Southern Punjab and DI Khan and it is their duty to take the anti-Kalabagh Dam people to task.
He said that scarcity of both water and power had adversely affected the quality and security of life of the citizens and that was a violation of their fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution. Hence, the decision is to remedy the situation. Abdul Basit said that as per Constitution, the resolutions of the provincial Assemblies have of no value on water issue. “So much so CCI itself can not change its own decision, it would have to wait for Joint Parliamentary session, if it wants to make any amendment in its decisions,’ he claimed.
He said that LHC verdict was good news for the people of Southern part of the province and Sindh and they should take every possible step for the early construction of Kalabagh Dam. Abdul Basit urged the government to immediately start work on mega project of Kalabagh Dam if it wants to save the future generations. He alleged that the enemies of Pakistan were spending all their energies to push Pakistan on the brink of starvation but the nation would have to show solidarity to foil their nefarious designs.
The LCCI official said that the water shortage was not only impacting upon agricultural products but it was also aggravating energy situation as there was a time when electricity generated in Pakistan had a bigger hydle energy share in the energy mix and today the situation was other way round. More than half of the electricity is being generated through hydro power that is an unjustified proportion by all means for a country like Pakistan. He said that Pakistan is a marvellous peace of land, it has all the four-weather season, huge fertile land, precious mineral resources, skilled manpower and what is needed is proper strategy to tap these resources.
