Operation KBD has begun

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Experts find Bhasha dam best choice

By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, June 14: Chairman of the parliamentary committee on water resources Senator Nisar Memon has said that a panel of foreign experts has declared the $6.7 billion Bhasha dam as the ‘best choice’ on technical grounds and human displacement rate but the $5.6billion Kalabagh dam could still be preferred for other reasons.

http://www.dawn.com/2004/06/15/top9.htm

Kalabagh Dam – Development or disaster?

Iftikhar Ahmad

For the past so many years of its planning and designing, the objectives and goals of Kalabagh Dam (KBD) have been shrouded in secrecy, and the Federal Government’s blind following of the project, against the wishes of the three provinces of the federation, has made it the most controversial issue of national integrity.

Damming the People of the Indus
Two large dams (Tarbela and Mangla) have been built in Pakistan over the last half-century. The federal government is very keen now to build a third (at Kalabagh) The construction of large-scale barrages for irrigation started with the Sukkur barrage (then Lloyd’s) in the 1930s. All of these interventions with natural river flows are marked by a casual disregard for downstream effects upon lands and forests. Since adverse impacts are spread over a large and distant area, the affected communities remain largely invisible to dammers. In consequence, compensation schemes have failed to acknowledge their devastation.

http://www.dams.org/kbase/submissions/showsub.php?rec=soc030

http://www.sindhtoday.net/long_march.htm

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Rabita Committee has made the final decision

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2005\12\19\story_19-12-2005_pg7_2

MQM against KBD, no matter what

KARACHI: In a policy statement released from London and Karachi on Sunday night, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement said it would not support the Kalabagh Dam project, whatever the cost. “This decision is final, taken after a prolonged session of the party’s coordination committee, during which MQM leader Altaf Hussain sought each and every member’s views. They were all unanimous that anything against the interest of Sindh and smaller provinces was unacceptable to MQM. The party, its workers and supporters are ready to pay any price for taking such a decision,” said the statement. The statement said that the three smaller provinces were against the project and any decision against the wishes and aspirations of their people would be against democratic principles, and therefore against the interest of the country. The MQM assured the people of Sindh that it stood by them and would not take any decision against their aspirations. The statement said that Altaf Hussain, after seeking the opinion of the party’s policy planning committee, endorsed the decision and made it clear that the MQM would not go against the views of the Sindhi people. He asked the people of Punjab to try to appreciate the reservations of the smaller provinces and show solidarity with them. “It will help promote national unity and integrity, and it will have far-reaching effects,” he said. staff report

Mere Paas Paas (The Sequel)
Mere Paas Paas (The Sequel)
Mere Paas Paas (The Sequel)
Mere Paas Paas (The Sequel)
Mere Paas Paas (The Sequel)
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Even some of the biggest pro-government officials from Sindh cannot go against the interests of their own people on this issue. They know very well what Kalabagh Dam means for Sindh. Why is the government so clueless about Sindh then?

http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/20/top2.htm

Musharraf acts to woo Sindh lawmakers

By Khaleeq Kiani

ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: Sindh’s parliamentarians belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League and Functional League, including two federal ministers, on Monday expressed reservations about dams plan and openly opposed construction of Kalabagh dam in their meeting with the president and the prime minister.

A participant of the meeting told Dawn that even federal Minister for Water and Power Liaquat Ali Jatoi informed the president and the prime minister that Sindh’s parliamentarians could not extend unconditional support to the Kalabagh dam.

“We don’t want the people of Sindh to desecrate graves of our forefathers,” Mr Jatoi was quoted as saying at the meeting. Minister for Local Government Razaq Thaheem also opposed the Kalabagh plan.

There is a serious Punjab-vs. rest of Pakistan deadlock on the issue which Islamabad wants to ignore in favor of Punjab. Do the provincial assemblies mean nothing? The mentality of Punjab knows best is seriously offensive.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/20/top3.htm

PML leadership backs Kalabagh

By Ahmed Hassan

ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: The Pakistan Muslim League leadership on Monday generally endorsed the Kalabagh dam, but tempered it with a call to strike for a broader unanimity of views among all the provinces and by taking all stakeholders into confidence.

“Senior Leaguers broadly agreed that the construction of Kalabagh dam be announced only after removing genuine reservations of smaller provinces and striking a national consensus,” an insider told Dawn.

However, Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim Khan is reported to have expressed his disagreement and told the party’s central executive committee meeting: “I am representing Sindh and not the federal government, therefore, I will abide by the wishes of the majority of the people of the province”.

And lo and behold Karachi gets more vehicles burnt. As much as I am completely against Kalabagh Dam, violence and vandalism is the wrong way here.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/20/top7.htm
7 vehicles set on fire in Karachi

By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, Dec 19: At least seven vehicles were set on fire on Monday night in various localities of the city ahead of Tuesday’s strike called by the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM).

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Not all voices in the minority provinces speak as one.

Kalabagh in country’s interest, says Jamali

Former prime minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali on Saturday said that the construction of Kalabagh dam was in the interest of the national economy and the issue should not be politicized. Talking to a TV channel, Mr Jamali said he would support every step which would be in favour of Pakistan. The country, he emphasized, needed water reservoirs, including the Kalabagh dam. In reply to a question, he said consensus on Kalabagh dam was required as the issue was being politicized. “We are supporting the construction of Kalabagh dam since 1985 in order to cope with up water shortage in the country,” he added.

http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/25/nat10.htm

Construction of Kalabagh dam is in national interest: Sherpao

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said that construction of Kalabagh dam is in the national interest adding that government has launched mass contact campaign to remove reservations of people. “Government has initiated public mobilization campaign to address the concerns about Kalabagh dam. The efforts are underway to resolve all the issues through dialogue. Water resources are essential for the nation and country. Kalabagh dam is in the better national interest”, he said this while talking to a group of journalists here Thursday after addressing annual passing out parade of Frontier Constabulary personnel in Kanjoo camp. President General Pervez Musharraf has visited Sindh to pave the way for construction of Kalabagh dam, he underlined.

http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=129793

**Pir Pagara announces to supports Kalabagh Dam **

The spiritual leader of ‘Hurs’ Pir Pagara has announced here in Karachi to support the construction of Kalabagh Dam. While addressing a press conference in Kingri House Karachi, Pir Pagara said that Sindh Assembly has now become a burden and a caretaker governor was expected. He said that Kainals from Kalabgh Dam would benefit his areas. He alleged that those who did not have piece of land for agriculture were apposing Kalbagh Dam. He said that Hurs got more water than agreed in 1991. However Pakistan Peoples Party damaged Sindh in 1994 agreement. Commenting over Sindh Chief Minister, Pir Pagars said, “He (Chief Minister) will only look at water but not be able to use.” He said “that does not matter weather President Musharraf supports Kalabagh Dam or not, but we want to be flourished.”

http://geo.tv/main_files/pakistan.aspx?id=99304

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Even the official opposition seems divided and/or supportive of the Kalabagh dam.

**MMA’s provincial council supports new dams **

Muthida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) in its provincial council meeting here on Wednesday supported construction of new water reservoirs to meet irrigation requirements and generate electricity. Agenda of the meeting was to discuss construction of Kalabagh Dam and problems of Earth-quake victims. President MMA Punjab MNA Liaquat Balouch presided over the meeting. While MMA Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed attended the meeting on special request from the provincial council. Mr. Balouch while briefing the newsmen after the meeting said that the provincial council has emphasised upon the need of construction of new water reservoirs to maintain progress in agriculture sector. He said that construction of water reservoirs is a technical issue but it has been made controversial by the people having vested interests He said there is nothing controversial in it and there is no harm in construction of water reservoirs. He said that WAPDA chief Tariq Hamid in a briefing to him and other politicians have told that water requirement of agriculture sector would not be met even after construction of Kalabagh, Basha and Akhori dams, therefore all other dams at feasible sites should also be built. The provincial council has decided to invite those experts who are against construction of dams to listen their views and develop a broader consensus on the issue.Prominent other participants from six parties religious alliance included : Pir Ijaz Hashmi, Hafiz Sulman Butt, Maulana Amjad, Qari Zawar Bahadur, Mufti Hidayat Ullah Pasruri, Rashid Ludhianvi, Abdul Malik Shah, Allama Afzal Jalil Naqvi, Maulana Abdur Rashid Anwar, Naeem Ullah Farooqi and Azhar Iqbal Hassan.The council expressed condolences over the demise of Maulana Shams ul Islam, uncle of Maulana Amjad Khan and wife of General K.M. Azhar.(Posted @ 21:45 PST)

http://www.dawn.com/2005/12/28/welcome.htm

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7 of the 9 members (drawn from all four provinces) of the technical committee agree on the Kalabagh dam.

Committee agrees on Kalabagh, Bhasha dams

Seven members of Technical Committee on Water Resources do not oppose canals from KBD

By Khalid Mustafa

ISLAMABAD: Seven members of the nine-member Technical Committee on Water Resources (TCWR), headed by A N G Abbasi, on Wednesday agreed on the construction of Kalabagh and Bhasha dams and did not oppose the proposed canals from Kalabagh. One member, however, observed that there should be no diversion of water from the dams. Chairman A N G Abbasi observed that the construction of only one of the two dams, of which feasibility is available, can be started with an edge for the Bhasha dam over the Kalabagh dam. Abbasi said Katzarah-Skardu is the most feasible dam for carryover purposes. This was revealed in a report of the Technical Committee on Water Resources, which the government formally released last night. The government also released the findings of studies on escapages below the Kotri barrage. The studies were conducted by a panel of three international experts. Ministry of Water and Power Secretary Ashfaq Mehmood released the two reports. He said, “This government hired three international consultants with the consultation of provinces for carrying out three studies.” He said according to findings of the studies escapages of 5,000 cusecs through the year, which means 3.6 MAF water per annum, is considered to be required to check sea intrusion, accommodate the needs for fisheries, environmental sustainability and to maintain the river channel.

The studies also say that a total of 25 MAF in any 5 years period (an annual equivalent amount of 5 MAF) be released below the Kotri as flood flows (Kharif period). The yearly releases can be adjusted so that average of 5 MAF is maintained. The pattern for escapages below the Kotri during Kharif (April to September) should either be greater or equal to 0.3 MAF. During the Rabi season (October to March) a flow of 0.3 MAF water per month has been recommended. The A N G Abbasi report says that there is a consensus that on average 35.2 MAF water is available annually which had been going to sea during 1976-2003. “It should be harnessed for development of future reservoirs and uses.” The report says that there is unequivocal consensus on immediate construction of new reservoirs, and all the members of the committee have complete satisfaction over the studies regarding the escapages below the Kotri.

All the members have no objection to the current distribution methodology being followed by Irsa. The chairman of the committee, is however, of the view that exempting NWFP and Balochistan from sharing of water shortages is a violation of the Water Accord. Irsa’s view is that the NWFP and Balochistan are unable to fully utilise even their due share during surpluses and can be allowed flexibility under para 3 of the accord. Decisions taken by majority vote by Irsa for water distribution are in accordance with the Irsa Act. In the report, seven members giving the majority views, have expressed full satisfaction over Irsa’s filling of the Mangla reservoir and operation of link canals, as Irsa is the competent authority under the Act. The chairman of the committee and one member have shown reservations and emphasised the need for legal guarantees and assurance that criteria will be faithfully followed. The chairman also differs with the current regulation by Irsa. Irsa has stated that operation of these canals is being done on the basis of actual water availability in the rivers and the principle of equitable water distribution according to the Water Accord allocations.

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/dec2005-daily/29-12-2005/main/main1.htm

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According to www.geo.tv, they just approved kalabagh. It’s gonna happen.

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I am sure the centre has been offered the right assurances/inducements for the minority provinces (essentially only Sindh, and then NWFP in that order) to drop their opposition to the dam. The Sindh government for all it’s public statements (which I am sure you will continue for public consumption) is lining upto to support it.

**Sindh govt to agree for Kalabagh dam **

The Sindh government has expressed willingness to agree on construction of the controversial Kalabagh dam and has asked the federal government to immediately come out with a list of comprehensive safeguards for the province. According to sources in the provincial administration, the Sindh government wrote a letter to the federal government to immediately convene the Council of Common Interests (CCI) and spell out a plan of action for Sindh vis-à-vis the Kalabagh dam’s ramifications. “The federal government is considering a set of probabilities that President Pervez Musharraf is likely to spell out in his speech to the nation shortly,” said the sources. A senior aide to the Sindh chief minister said the provincial assembly was expected to debate the president’s package of constitutional guarantees in the session opening from January 19.

It is learnt that the federal government asked the chief minister to “ensure” that a resolution was passed in the Sindh Assembly, asking the centre “to construct the Kalabagh dam by providing the province with enough guarantees.” The Sindh cabinet has responded positively as far as building of mega water reservoirs is concerned and has expressed its confidence in President Musharraf’s vision of water reservoirs, the sources said. **Sindh Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Leghari, however, said: “The government has a perfect vision as far as the protection of its interests is concerned and the present uncertainty will end soon.” **

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Pakistan+%26+Sub%2DContinent&month=January2006&file=World_News2006010723612.xml

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Weird opposition to Kalabagh dam

HAMID ALVI

With the display of a rare firmness by the federal government to construct Kalabagh and other dams on Indus, a plethora of opposition has cropped up against the dams, particularly the proposed Kalabagh dam. The anti-Kalabagh tirade is marked by two elements. One, it is indirectly directed against the agricultural interests of the province of Punjab, and two, the uproar pays little or no heed to the scientific data available, which happens to hit right at the roots of criticism. There is no debate; all we hear are emotional outcries. The villains of the dam controversy are the old time foes such as Asfandyar Wali Khan and Ms Benazir Bhutto united perhaps by the hope of political gains. Minor players in the drama include leadership of MQM and JUI, but their opposition to the multipurpose dam appears to be more as window dressing than real. Mr Khan whose left of the Centre party, ANP, was routed in NWFP in the last elections by the right-wing coalition of MMA, still pretends to be spokesman of the province. And in that assumed capacity has threatened to physically block construction of the Kalabagh. He also has notified to resign his seat in the Senate if the construction was undertaken against his will. Benazir Bhutto in her interview with VOA, December 15, remained faithful to the family tradition of viewing every issue as a risk to the federation if its solution does not coincide with Bhutto interest. She warned Pakistani public through the American media channel, that “Kalabagh may pose a serious threat to the national integrity”, and went on to compare it with developments which lead to the creation of Bangladesh. The opposition from Sindh, including Benazir, rejected the construction of Kalabagh on the ground that the reservoir created by the dam will enhance the water supply to Punjab and reduce its availability to Sindh.

Further, that if a certain quantity of water is not released daily through the Kotri Barrage the Arabian sea will start pushing the sweet water backward, thereby destroying mangrove which in turn will adversely effect the process of coastal land building. The PPP under Bhutto, giving no proof of its contention finds it an occasion to settle score with Musharraf. The federal government experts and the world class irrigation engineers reject out of hand the bases of Sindh province’s objection to Kalabagh. Its reservoir with a capacity of over six million acre feet will be able to supply more water downstream to Sindh province than what is available at present. President General Pervez Musharraf has assured that in countless public speeches. He has also assured more exit at Kotri than allowed at present to provide even a better solution to the mangrove problem. Federal leadership has also offered constitutional guarantees, an unusual step, to clear the doubts of Sindhis. The objections raised by NWFP stand even on more flimsy ground than the complaints of Sindh. The suspicion expressed by ANP leadership that the reservoir will submerge the entire Peshawar valley as the Kabul river will be flowing backward, is most preposterous. It is so because the elevation of Kalabagh dam is designed to be 946 feet while that of Peshawar valley is more than that. One wonders how could a dam with an altitude lower than a mass of land situated 100 miles upstream of it, could drown that land. The dam would be long washed away before the water could touch Nowshera and the Peshawar valley. The argument is further strengthened by the fact that reservoir level or depth of Kalabagh lake will never exceed the altitude of 825 feet which shall never pose threat to NWFP cities. As regards the effects on population and inundation of land by the reservoir, both NWFP and Punjab will be effected, although in both cases Punjab will suffer more. But than almost all dams cause evacuation and resettlement of people residing in the reservoir area and gobble some agricultural land. Both Mangla and Tarbela did. The compensation which was paid liberally at Tarbela ensured better living to the evacuees. As far as we remember NWFP government or the ANP never made an issue of the effects on land and people while Tarbela was built.

So much dust has been raised by the irrigation concerns, that the power production side of KBD has been largely obliterated. Beginning with the initial hydroelectric production of 2400 MW and KBD power station will be producing 3600 MW of electricity which is much cheaper than power produced by other means. This will also be the largest amount of power produced by any other hydro, gas and oil fed power station. Some statistics on KBD. The main embankment on the dam to be built across the Indus is designed to be 11000 ft long; 260 ft high and 50 feet wide at the crest level. The dam will back up the water to create a lake spread over 164 sq miles. It will have two spillways to release the water which the dam could not hold. The spillways are big enough to provide a perfect safety valve to the dam. Total storage capacity will be 7.9 million acre feet. (It may be mentioned here that an acre feet is an amount of water which when spread over one acre, it stands one foot deep). The space here does not permit quoting of complete statistics on KBD. But citizens must rest assured that like Mangla and Tarbela, the KBD will also provide tremendous benefits to the nation in the field of irrigation, power and flood control. Its storage will enhance irrigation capacity in all the provinces and not reduce it. Storage never does. It is unfortunate for the nation that an issue which should have been settled at administrative level is politicised and taken to streets. Amidst the sound and fury of street one thing is ignored by all parties and that is the agreement signed between all the four provinces on apportionment of water on sixteen March 1991. According to the agreement Sindh is to draw forty eight million acre feet (MAF). Of water, Punjab above 55 MAF, NWFP above five MAF and Balochistan 3.87 MAF. The agreement was signed by all the four chief ministers. It is mentioned in the agreement that Sindh asked for ten million MAF escapage downstream of Kotri to check intrusion of the sea. With the construction of KBD more than 10 MAF would be available and has already been offered. As regards extra water to be made available by KBD it could be distributed in the same ratio specified in the 1991 agreement.

**If we don’t build more dams to compensate for the depletion our agriculture in the next two decades will be doomed. Much bigger sufferer would be Sindh which the authorities say will revert back to the desert condition. One wonders that if the reservoir at Kalabagh is going to hurt Sindh irrigation, how the reservoir at Bhasha will not do the same. **

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/jan-2006/1/columns3.php

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The problem with KBD is the issue of taking out canals. THe fear (and it has happened) is that if there are canals coming out, then no way in future is it not possible in a drought season for punjab to take out water for its own needs (as KBD is being used to support the drought claim).

HAd the dam been a carryover, the argument above will make more sense.

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This is simply nutz! No province controls the dam directly. WAPDA a federal agency is responsible for upkeep and control of dams.

Up river states like Punjab or Frontier aren’t sitting there with buckets in hand, siphoning off water from the rivers. People commenting along these lines have no sense of how rivers are controlled.

Opposition to infrastructure (motorways, dams, and ports) is a sign of severe tribalism. It is time to race with each other as to which province builds more. Instead we are literally cursing each other for one purpose: to stop the infrastructure development. Shame utter shame!

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Anti- your still not getting it yaar.

WAPDA, as well as many other things are dominated by Punjabis who work for Punjab, at the expense of others.

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[quote]
Up river states like Punjab or Frontier aren't sitting there with buckets in hand, siphoning off water from the rivers. People commenting along these lines have no sense of how rivers are controlled.
[/quote]

PS It has happened in the past!

With illogical posts like these, you prove you haven't changed even after moving to america!

Look I'm not against dams but i'm also against poor sindhi haris dying as they are human beings (and pakistanis to punjabis too).

Just having a nick like 'antiobl' doesn't make you an enligtened person..
You have to play the part too.....

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This is yet again an example of a terrible tribal propaganda.
WPDA from its start has been dominated by non-Punjab leadership. Few Chairmen of this “Federal Agency” have been Punjabis. Chairman Safdar But may be among those few.

Yara! open your eyes and see what is good for the nation. The answer is simple: Development of infrastructure in every province. KBD is just one project. Instead of stopping it, you all should be vying for more funding in your own province. Ask, plead, and beg for motorways, canals, and schools. Why are you all hell bent on stopping the progress. I beg you to be forward looking and pro-development. Please! That is the only way Pakistan can avoid being lumped with Somalia. We have to move forward and be as developed as your present home i.e. UK, US, or Europe in general. You are an expat. Why don’t you want the same thing for your motherland as the ones in your current homeland.

For you all expats, I highly recommend following the debate on Pak media these days. On December 29th, Indus TV had a detailed interview of Shamusul Mulk ex-Chair WAPDA. FYI he is a Pushtoon and resident of Nowshera these days. He categorically thwarted anti-development hogwash on every point.

Sindh has gotten more water since the construction of Tarbela and Mangla. So KBD will not hurt Sindhis either. Punjab and Pushtoonistan both are careful not to mess of water supply as they pretty much follow Federal guidelines as enforced by WAPDA.

Peace!

Tindal Billi
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Operation KBD has ended...! Mission Unaccomplished.. Of note in particular is the MQM's role in guaranteeing the Mission Failure .. in these days it is unique for any group in power to look beyond the politics of power, opportunism and ministries.

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Zakk: which political group in past was not "opportunistic"? which group has ever sacrificed its possible political gains? if anyone, very likely they might have traded something under the table.

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You'd be surprised Captain..I can name groups in the past who have not seeked power for powers sake...even failed politicians like Asghar Khan ..for all the failure of their politics..they did not make "deals".

I have heard many MQM people conclude from experiences in the 1990's that their policy should be to avoid confrontation with the Army at any cost..because it has shown that it is willing to exercise any force to maintain it's influence over power. It goes without saying Mushy would have offered some very powerful indicements to them if they toed the PML line. The MMA by contrast could have also done the same ..but chose not too (Mufti Mehmood of the JUI in the 1970's by contrast resigned as Chief minister of NWFP in protest against the Baloch operation in the 1970's)..opportunism and deal making is the real evil of Paks politics..that with calling people traitors and kafirs is what makes our system so corrupt.

Anyway Operation KBD is over...I expect there are some angry rich contractors and even angrier sifarish plot pre selectees in Pakistan nowadays...nothing makes bad enemies in Pak like depriving the corrupt elite..of it's pocket money.

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That was the right thing to do! Finally somebody stands up for the little guy. [Thumbs up icon which magically no longer appears. :grin:]:k:

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A principled stance, good job!

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Karachi will pay.