The government has indicated that it has rejected the Kalabagh dam from among the five large dams. The dam has been a favourite of the World Bank and of president Ayub Khan and has a strong backing in the Punjab.

Mr Sher Afghan, a former parliamentary affairs minister has said he would commit suicide if the Kalabagh dam was rejected. Later he amended his statement saying, he would decide the final course after the central government has taken its final decision. The dam has been more of the Punjab versus the rest of the three provinces. There is a strong opposition in Sindh, the Frontier and Balochistan to the construction of the dam. Now it has become a hot political issue.

While the PPP, the leading coalition partner wants to scrap the project, the PML(N) intends to raise the issue in the Council of Common Interest.

The World Bank is committed to the Kalabagh dam as it has spent a great deal of money on its feasibility studies over the years. It has been among the five large dams approved by the Musharraf government which is to cost $15 billion.

President Musharraf gave second place to the dam, after Basha dam. The whole project is now in doldrums, while the World Bank urges Pakistan to make up its mind. The need for building the five dams is urgent in view of the dire need for electricity and larger water supply for irrigation.

The country does not have much oil and it cannot afford to meet its rising national demands from expensive oil. The urgency for a quick decision has increased following reports of a rise in the world price of oil.

Although Saudi Arabia may give more aid apart from $300 million oil facility.

If the price of oil rises to anything like $200 a barrel, that would not solve Pakistan’s problems. Pakistan has to be prepared for all kinds of eventualities following the soaring price of oil without any check whatsoever.

More World Bank loans may be helpful for building new dams but will not solve the problem aggravated by the soaring price of oil. Along with all that world food prices will rise , particularly because of the rising cost of transportation as a result of the high priced oil.

So, the centre and the provinces have to move in the same direction and solve their problems amicably and soon, whether it is Kalabagh or any other national issue. The finance ministers of all the four provinces have met last week and urged the centre to move towards such a course quickly and effectively. Kalabagh should get its right priority without upsetting the provinces and get the best out of the five dams.