KARACHI, 16 December 2005 — Sindh Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim said the provincial government has reservations over the construction of the Kalabagh Dam, while Punjab wants to construct the dam to get royalty.
Speaking in the Sindh Assembly session over the Kalabagh Dam issue yesterday, he said, if needed, a joint resolution with the opposition would be introduced.
He said President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has been briefed about Sindh’s reservations about the dam. He added a year’s water could be reserved in Skardu Dam and if needed that reservoir could be used, adding that Punjab wanted the Kalabagh Dam to be built in order to benefit from the royalty it would derive from the dam.
Top-ranking army authorities have favored the construction of big water reservoirs, including the Kalabagh Dam, sources said. The sources said Musharraf had taken all the corps commanders and other top-ranking military officials into confidence regarding the construction of big dams.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) declared that they would oppose the construction of Kalabagh Dam because “it puts the country’s unity at stake”.
“Nobody has the right to take a decision or make an announcement on such controversial projects at gunpoint, as the assemblies of the three provinces had passed resolutions against it,” said Syed Khursheed Shah of the PPPP.
