Perpetual dispute over KBD can make Pakistan a failed state: PEW
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The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Sunday said asked the government to forge consensus on Kalabagh dam (KBD) as unending disagreements on the project can make Pakistan a failed state.
Country is pocketing loss of around 300 billion per annum due to delay in construction of KBD which cannot be afforded for long, it said.
India has completed one hundred and seventy-one dams in disputed occupied Kashmir generating 28000 megawatt of cheap electricity while Pakistani politicians cannot agree on one dam, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
He said that some elements opposing this project are dancing on the tune of India which is part of her policy to make Pakistan a desert through water aggression.
The attitude of some politicians and apathy of the government regarding KBD, water policy and water strategy amounts to suicide, he noted.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that KBD will make 61 hundred thousand acre of land fertile which will improve food security and enable country to export agricultural items to earn foreign exchange.
The province of Sindh will get additional 2.2 million acre feet of water which 3600 megawatt electricity will be added into the system to provide relief to masses and energy-hungry industry.
He said that policy of ignoring hydel power has pushed country to rely on costly imported fuel which has broken the back of masses, agriculture and industry.
No mega reservoirs has been constructed in the last 41 years wasting 145 million acre feet of water that passes every year through Pakistan. Country need three mega dams to store this water including KBD, he said.
