MUZAFFARABAD: A long cherished bridge over Jhelum River designed and funded by the Japanese institutions is ready for inauguration at long last, much to the delight of the residents of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) capital.

However, the euphoria has been partly attenuated by a controversy over its appellation by the AJK government as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Bridge.

The cable-stayed bridge, which is 84 metres above the water level and connects Chattar to Naluchi and Gojra neighbourhoods on left and right banks of River Jhelum, respectively, was earlier referred to as ‘Earthquake Memorial Bridge’ or most commonly as ‘Naluchi Bridge’.

Since mid 80s, its foundation stone was laid twice but construction could never begin, ostensibly for want of funds, technical expertise and commitment.

However, after the devastating 2005 earthquake, the bridge in its present shape was designed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Nippon Koei as a gift to the quake stricken people of Muzaffarabad.

A soft loan to the tune of Rs1.7 billion was provided by the Japan Bank of International Construction (JBIC) for construction work.

The groundbreaking of the project was performed in March 2009 and it was supposed to be completed by December 2011. However, after hitting many snags, mainly the cash flow, it was finally thrown open for traffic on the second day of Eid.

The formal inauguration would, however, be performed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on August 10, according to the AJK government.

The invite for inauguration was extended to Mr Sharif by AJK premier Chaudhry Abdul Majeed at a meeting on July 17.

However, AJK government’s July 24 notification, naming the bridge after Mr Bhutto came as a bolt from the blue for many, drawing instant flaks from opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Muslim Conference (MC).

“We have strong reservations over this decision,” said PML-N president Raja Farooq Haider, who is also leader of the opposition in the AJK Assembly.While talking to Dawn, he pointed out that already there were a number of projects named by the PPAJK governments after the Bhutto family members.

“There is no justification at all to name this bridge after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, particularly when the PPP government in Islamabad (2008-13) had in fact delayed its timely completion by diverting its funds to some other projects outside the AJK.”

MC president and former premier Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan was also harsh on the issue.

“I not only oppose but condemn this decision… The PPAJK leaders want to hush up their failures behind the names of Bhuttos,” he told Dawn.

He claimed that the bridge was the personal initiative of his father Sardar Abdul Qayyum Khan “who also got its PC-1 prepared in his rule”.

“The bridge should be named after any Kashmiri leader,” he said, suggesting names of various senior leaders including that of his father.

The response by the civil society was, however, mixed, but majority said the name should be the one that reminded people of the 2005 catastrophe or acknowledged the contribution of the foreigners in the aftermath of it.

“Tokyo Bridge is the most appropriate name. Let us, as a nation, try to develop the habit of acknowledging those who supported us in our hour of need. Japan and its people are the ones in this case and they deserve at least acknowledgement, if nothing else,” said Hammad Jeff, a civil servant in the making.

A source close to the AJK premier disclosed to Dawn that Mr Majeed was forced into taking this decision after his meeting with Mr Sharif.

“Some disgruntled people within the ruling party are bent upon creating troubles for the PM and they floated this proposal through the PPP central leadership to sabotage Mr Sharif’s visit,” he said, while requesting anonymity.

The source claimed that before issuing the notification regarding the name, Mr Majeed had also taken Federal Information Minister Senator Pervaiz Rasheed into confidence on this issue.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2014