As expected the political opposition to the Kalabagh Dam is withering away.
Operation KBD has begun
Dr Farooq Sattar, the parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, one of the most important allies of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Q), has said that his party will support the construction of Kalabagh Dam if the government can remove the apprehensions of all stakeholders, especially lower riparian Sindh. In the same breath, however, Mr Sattar said that if such a consensus was not developed and the government still pushed ahead with the project, the MQM could consider parting ways with the League. This is masterly double-speak. Mr Sattar is going along with General Pervez Musharraf without jeopardising the MQM’s constituency in Sindh. For his part, General Musharraf while insisting on the necessity of a consensus has, nonetheless, indicated that given the impending shortage of water and the urgency to address it the government would go through with the construction of KBD even if a consensus is not forthcoming. Down in Sindh, Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim said much the same about KBD. His government, he said, would support KBD if Islamabad can get all stakeholders on board. However, while choosing his words carefully, he did not fail to mention that Sindh would prefer Basha Dam up in the north, which is what the Sindh members in the Abbasi Committee had suggested. Dr Rahim is also a chip off the old block. He’s lined up behind General Musharraf.
The move on KBD has obviously begun. The civilian faces in General Musharraf’s hybrid system, on cue from him, have signalled the start of a campaign to make a sales pitch for KBD. Federal Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has indicated that the government plans to convene an all-parties conference on the issue. “Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will announce the date for the APC and brief all participating parties about the need for a major water reservoir,” Mr Ahmed told this newspaper. While the political difficulties facing the government in winning adherents to KBD cannot be ignored, the recent seven-to-one verdict by the Abbasi Committee provides the government a sound technical basis on which to present the case to other stakeholders. While the one dissenting member happens to be from Sindh, it is satisfying that the other Sindhi member of the committee has endorsed the construction of the dam. The committee’s report clearly puts KBD ahead of Basha and Skardu dams. It has presented statistics on the total flow of the Indus Basin Irrigation System, the capacity of available storage sites and the dams that need to be built in the future and various other technical details. There is enough data here for the government to convince recalcitrant political actors. Getting the MQM and Dr Rahim on board is a big plus for General Musharraf. It removes a major hurdle in the way of winning consensus. An essential factor, however, is to ensure that the minor sub-nationalist actors are also won over or sidelined effectively.
The Sindh government coalition comprising the Pakistan Muslim League and Muttahida Qaumi Movement has given its support to President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s decision to build Kalabagh Dam, according to well-placed sources in the provincial government. These sources while requesting anonymity confided to Daily Times that both the PML and MQM are hand in glove with Gen Musharraf’s now quite overt plans for Kalabagh Dam. Therefore, instead of coming out clean on their position on the dam, the two parties have embarked on a strategy to compound confusion about the Sindh government’s stand, sources said, adding that their plan is aimed at buying time to drum up support for the dam.
Absolute consensus can never be achieved in Pakistan’s polarised environment, but efforts should be made to bring most people on side. The PPP in Punjab supports the dam, and most of their support comes from there.
MQM asks Benazir to come out with clear policy on KBD
The MQM Rabita Committee has demanded of the PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto to tell the people about her actual policy on Kalabagh dam (KBD). In a statement issued here on Thursday, the committee asked from the PPP as to when it would give up its “hypocritical” policy as the Sindh PPP was opposing the construction of Kalabagh dam but the Punjab PPP was extending support to this project. It claimed that the PPP’s Central Secretary belonging to Punjab, Jehangir Badar, said at a press conference the other day that the PPP Sindh was opposing Kalabagh dam, “so it does not have the support of PPP’s Central Executive Committee nor the party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto”. It said: “Thus without the approval of PPP Chairperson and Central Executive Committee, the opposition of PPP Sindh over Kalabagh dam does not have any weight or status.” Similarly, few days back PPP President Punjab Qasim Zia had also extended support to the construction of KBD, it added.
The Rabita Committee asked the PPP to stop making a fool out of the nation, “as they do not have any sympathy with Sindh or the people of the province”, the MQM committee claimed. It said the PPP wings in Sindh and Punjab have different views over the KBD, adding, it was the moral duty of Benazir Bhutto to come out with a clear policy regarding the KBD project.
Is Operation KBD anything like Operation Searchlight and Operation Clean Up?
There is a clear divide between Punjab and rest of Pakistan on Kalabagh like most major issues. The Dam gives unprecedented power to control the flow of Indus to the government and in effect Punjab. None of us want this, since we know how things work in Pakistan.
The bigger issue is not this Dam, but the fact that none of the smaller federating units trust Punjab due to lack of equality and democracy in the decision making process of Pakistan.
Three of the four federating units, with equal vote on the important decision-making, don't agree to the construction of the dam. Makhdum Amin Fahim has declared Sindh would secede from the federation if the Punjab-dominated federal govt went ahead with the construction. There have been rallies against KBD in Sindh. Arbab Ghulam has become a hero in Sindh after he delared he would quit government on the issue. Meanwhile, according to news, big rallies would be organized in Karachi (Sindh) and Nowshera (NWFP) against KBD in third and fourth week of December. Dr. Farooq Sattar of MQM has also warned that MQM can quit govt if the govt went ahead witout reaching consensus with the federating units. DAWN in its editorial wrote consensus would never be reached.
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has indicated that his government will support the Kalabagh Dam (KBD) project provided the province is given sufficient guarantees that its water share will be protected. Speaking in the provincial assembly on Thursday, Rahim said that the people of Sindh had apprehensions about the project that could be eased by guarantees from the system, not from an individual or the constitution. “These guarantees could be given by a friendly country, the Senate, the Supreme Court, the World Bank or the United Nations,” he added. The chief minister said that President General Pervez Musharraf was ready to give his personal assurance to the people of Sindh, but “man is mortal”. “The people of Sindh do not have faith in constitutional guarantees,” he said, adding that the constitution had been torn apart by martial law regimes. Rahim vowed his government would not compromise on the rights of the province. “We will take a stand and I am capable of sacrificing the office of the chief minister at any time [for this].”He said he was off to Islamabad soon to represent Sindh. He said no Sindhi politician could easily change his position on Kalabagh, and he could not say what position Sindhi politicians would have in the future, “but consensus has been reached at this point in time”. Rahim said Sindh’s water experts were in favour of Skardu dam, but there was no feasibility study on the project because previous governments had only focused on Kalabagh.
Old news. New news are, Arbab Ghulam Rahim said he would submit designation to which Shiekh Rashid responding that Arbab Ghulam Rahim should desist from irresponsible statement. And why have you select the word "operation" as the title of this thread? You want to hint that it would be 1971 like operation in which the opponents of KBD would be wiped out?
No what you state is actually old news. What I posted was after all that resignation threat was made. The title of thread is from the editorial in the Daliy Times, not my own.
Pir Pagara supports construction of big water reservoirs
SUKKUR, Dec. 17 (APP): The chief of Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) and Spiritual Leader of Hur`s, Pir Pagara has said that construction of all mega water reservoirs including Kalabagh Dam is need of the hour and this matter cannot be over looked. While talking to his party workers including District Nazims, Taulka Nazims and Town Nazims at his residence on Friday he said that the Government will have to take this decision at every cost keeping in view the requirements of the country and in the national interest. He said the KB dam issue should not be politicized. Pir Pagara stressed that reservations of a group of MNAs be removed with the spirit of reconciliation and accomodation. Besides, Advocate Raana Shah,President PML(F) Lawyers Forum khairpur, Advocate Jamil Khan Nawaz, Bibi Irshad Jillani, Advocate Nisar Ahmed Bhunbhro were aslo present on the occasion.
And Ghulam Mustafa Jatio has vehimently opposed it, according to news on Sunday. According to news on Satureday, Arbab Ghulam Rahim stated that he would tender resignation in protest if Federal Govt went ahead with it. Your news are rather outdated.
But I say behind this smoke-screen something else is going on. Kashmir, NATO troops in earth-quake region, Dick Chiney visit, strengthening of ties between East and West Punjab---one Kuldip Nayar , addressing a gathering of Punjab literary figures like Afzal Tauseef etc. said, language is a bond between East and West Punjab and that the border between the two Punjab is vanishing.
MMA extends joint offer to Govt over Kalabagh Dam issue
Chief of Muttahida Majlis Ammal (MMA) Qazi Hussain Ahmed has assured the Government of Pakistan to cooperate for judicious distribution of water amongst country’s four provinces.
While addressing to activists and office bearers of Jamat-e-Islami, He said that the general elections for year 2007 across the country would be similar to those, which we had been observing as yet. However, Musharraf government’s elimination was must before the elections, he added. “No military general would be tolerated after Musharraf’s stepping down”, he stated. He appealed the party activists to remain more active in launching campaign against Musharraf government and called on them to ignore root and branch the contradictory media reports with regard to MMA. Final decision regarding participation of chief minister for NWFP and the opposition leaders would be made in the meeting of MMA’s supreme council, he informed.
While talking about the issue of Kalabagh Dam, he suggested a discussion in the Parliament.
**Balochiatsn Chief Minister calls upon political parties to develop consensus on dams **
DERA MURAD JAMALI, Dec 18 (APP): Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Mohammad Yousaf has called upon all political parties and provinces to develop consensus on construction of dams in the country in greater interest of the people. The chief minister was talking to former chief minister Balochistan Nawab Zulfiqar Ali Magsi at his residence in Jhal Magsi on Sunday.
He said construction of big water reservoirs is indispensable to fulfill future requirements of water, irrigation and power generation. The decision of President General Pervez Musharraf regarding construction of the dams will be in the greater interest of all provinces”, he said. The CM said prosperity of the nation depends on the availability of water reservoirs. “If we do not implement the decision of constructing dams at the earliest the nation will badly suffer from water shortage”, he observed.
Referring to the ongoing development schemes in the province he said that with the completion of these schemes thousands of local people will be inducted in various departments which will bring socio-economic change in the province. Earlier, he distributed prizes among the car rally winners. On the occasion Balochistan Minister for Industries Abdul Ghafoor Lehri, nazims and councilors were also present.
KARACHI: As part of the government’s consultation drive to evolve a consensus on the need for building more water reservoirs in the country, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz met on Saturday Pir Pagara and Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, but failed to win their support for the proposed construction of Kalabagh dam, it is learnt.
Pagara and Jatoi, however, agreed on the need for building more water reservoirs in the country. Former caretaker prime minister Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi strongly opposed the Kalabagh dam but favoured the construction of Bhasha dam, while the prime minister claimed that Pagara agreed on the need for construction of more water reservoirs in the country.
According to sources, the prime minister was told by Jatoi, who heads the National People’s Party (NPP), that the people of Sindh would resist any move to construct the Kalabagh dam.
A lot of pro-KBD propaganda seems to be making it to the press as one would expect in such a situation. The lotas and spinners are deliberately trying to bury the real opposition by people of smaller provinces against Kalabgah Dam, while showing the opinions of lotas and army supporters like the Pagara's, Jatois as gospel.
Just what my earlier story said, from today’s APP.
Pir Pagara supports construction of big water reservoirs
SUKKUR, Dec. 17 (APP): The chief of Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) and Spiritual Leader of Hur`s, Pir Pagara has said that construction of all mega water reservoirs including Kalabagh Dam is need of the hour and this matter cannot be over looked. While talking to his party workers including District Nazims, Taulka Nazims and Town Nazims at his residence on Friday he said that the Government will have to take this decision at every cost keeping in view the requirements of the country and in the national interest. He said the KB dam issue should not be politicized. Pir Pagara stressed that reservations of a group of MNAs be removed with the spirit of reconciliation and accomodation. Besides, Advocate Raana Shah,President PML(F) Lawyers Forum khairpur, Advocate Jamil Khan Nawaz, Bibi Irshad Jillani, Advocate Nisar Ahmed Bhunbhro were aslo present on the occasion.
While Jatoi has still be brought onto side, today’s Dawn comments on Pir Pagara’s support for the Kalabagh Dam.
Political analysts were attaching significance to Pir Pagara’s support for the controversial dam because they think it would significant bearing on the future political dispensation in the province in which Mr Pagara’s role would be crucial.
It is rather Operation save Pakistan. Name one independent study which backs up the claims of the opponents who say it will be detrimental to Sindh or other provinces?
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