WB unlikely to be of much help: minister - Baglihar issue
By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: The Senate was told on Tuesday that Pakistan might have to accept, as 'fait accompli', construction of Baglihar Dam by India because war will be the only option left if the World Bank failed to resolve the issue.
Under intense questioning of the government's policy on Baglihar issue in the Senate, cabinet minister Lt-Gen (retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi came to rescue Minister of State for water and power, Amir Muqam, from the opposition's onslaught and asked, "What is the option?"
Continuing in the same breath, he said: "War is the only option." Javed Qazi said India had constructed quite a few dams in violation of the Indus Water Treaty and negotiations with Delhi on all the controversial dams, which could affect water supply to Pakistan, had failed in the past.
He said India had constructed Salal Dam during the era of a political government which did not even go to the World Bank. He said India was also going ahead with the Kishanganga hydro electric project in violation of the treaty.
The minister said the incumbent government had taken up the issue of Baglihar Dam with the World Bank for the first time, whereas the previous governments had failed to do so in the case of other dams.
Taking exception to the explanation given by the minister, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, accused the government of abdicating all of Pakistan's rights to India. He said perhaps Pakistan should accept Baglihar Dam as the incumbent government had surrendered to the erection of a barbed wire by India on the LoC.
Senator Rabbani said the World Bank had categorically said that it was not a guarantor to the treaty and that the process of appointment of a neutral expert and subsequent decision would be a long-drawn process.
He said the World Bank had not asked India to stop construction of the controversial dam. Senator Rabbani accused the government of sleeping over an issue which was a matter of life and death to the country.
He questioned absence of federal Minister Liaquat Jatoi from the Senate and said nothing could have been more important than the Baglihar issue. He said the government had a callous attitude on the issue as the state minister, Amir Muqam, was not well versed on the issue.
Earlier, Deputy Chairman Commander (retd) Khalil ur Rehman made an observation that the state minister could not answer questions on the issue as he was not in the government five years ago.
Referring to the answer given by the state minister, the leader of the opposition said: "The government should have sent here someone well versed on the issue."
Reacting to the minister's argument that political governments did not take any step on the Salal Dam, Senator Rabbani said two wrongs did not make one right. He said it was easy to dub political governments unpatriotic and incompetent. He pointed out that the military which, he said, had certificate of patriotism and efficiency, had taken five years to move the World Bank.
Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed of the MMA also accused the government of sleeping over the Baglihar issue and said India had completed almost 85 per cent of the dam.
He said the military government of Gen Musharraf and the subsequent political government had failed to agitate the matter appropriately at the right time. The senator said India was likely to complete the construction by the end of 2005.
Earlier, while trying to defend the government's actions Mr Amir Muqam said the government had to follow certain procedures before approaching the World Bank. In a written answer placed before the house, the government said India could withhold the water of river Chenab in winter for about 26 days. The written response said the government was pursuing the matter rigorously for its early resolution.
