PML-N accused of using Kalabagh dam issue as ‘political slogan’

E-Paper | August 11, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has accused the ruling PML-N of using the Kalabagh Dam issue only as a political slogan.

Addressing a news conference here on Saturday, the chief minister said he had serious reservations over the Kalabagh Dam project but would have no objection to its construction if all the provinces agreed on it.

He called for the setting up of a commission on the Kalabagh Dam project, though he did not specify the nature of such a body.

Mr Khattak expressed surprise over the allegations hurled by PML-N leaders that the PTI-led government in KP had wasted billions of rupees of the Hydel Development Funds (HDF) by investing them in the stock market.

He said that the previous MMA government had invested Rs500 million from the Pension Fund, and not the HDF, in the stock market in 2005, adding that his government had recovered half of that amount and the rest would be withdrawn soon.

Mr Khattak said his government had already served a legal notice on PML-N MNAs Daniyal Aziz, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Maiza Hameed for levelling “false allegations” against him. He also rejected the allegations that his government was not working on electricity projects and provided details of the projects currently under way in KP.

The CM alleged that the federal government was not ready to honour the MoU reached between him and some federal ministers earlier this year under which the Centre was to pay Rs18bn to KP from over Rs100bn net hydropower profit arrears.

He claimed that the Centre was selling electricity at a rate of Rs12 per unit after buying it at Rs4 from the province.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2015

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Atif

Oct 11, 2015 09:19am

PML-N is Punjab's regional party (much like ANP in KpK). So any hopes from it to serve larger than that, particularly strenghtening federation is a lost cause

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Khuram Nisar

Oct 11, 2015 09:30am

Good and detailed response Khattak saheb... Keep doing the good work.. Noon league can say anything they want, just to blame someone.

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Lucky Star

Oct 11, 2015 09:44am

Cente covers administrative cost with $8. What is the problem with that center buys electricity on large scale and sells individual vustomers. Mr. Khatak, name any business who sells the product at the same price it buys.

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Dr. Abdul Rahman - New York

Oct 11, 2015 10:01am

Dear Federal Govt. Please stop doing this. Justice must prevail.

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Naveed

Oct 11, 2015 10:08am

This should be political slogan of every political party. This is a badly needed project for Pakistan. PTI did not show any change of thinking from ANP. Can I question what PTI has done to prove the side effects of this project? Any Risk about this project can be mitigated but it needs wisdom of our political mafias.

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Dilectus

Oct 11, 2015 10:18am

PML-N is trying its best to fail KP government just for dirty politics, ignoring the fact that success of KP government will result in betterment of KP people and Pakistan.

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zafar Iqbal

Oct 11, 2015 10:40am

PTI should spare no efforts to make Kp an example of good governance and development. Don't expect any cooperation from the center as they are still stuck in the mud of revenge politics.

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Syed Tahir

Oct 11, 2015 10:49am

At least don't do politics on water and dams. If Kalabagh is not agreed in current proposal start building other dams without any further delay. Form a committee to resolve the issues of Kalabagh among political parties. If strict measures are not taken generations will not spare us.

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Zoheb

Oct 11, 2015 10:49am

PML-N doesn't want to see KPK prosper for obvious reasons.

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Faisal

Oct 11, 2015 11:07am

@DILECTUS I don't see any improvement in KPK

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Zane

Oct 11, 2015 11:45am

@Faisal and I see so much improvement in pmln 30 year tenure in Punjab, 30 year tenure of mqm Karachi, 40 year tenure of ppp in sindh

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inc

Oct 11, 2015 11:48am

Please Khattak sb, have some mercy on our poor selves. Please stop making this issue a controversy and focus on developing provincial projects. KBD is a must for Pakistan, it was designed to work in tandem with Tarbela Dam. It can produce 3600MW of clean and relatively cheap and highly reliable energy along with storage of water. This water will be used for agriculture, irrigation, flood control and canal/river water regulation. Even in today when we can simulate deep underground wells and predict weather weeks in advance, it is pitiful that politicians rely on old myths to justify not constructing this Dam. If we start today than it will take 6-8 years before it becomes ops. Please force federal to start its construction. Don't worry you will still get votes. Your party head claim to produce Rs 2/kWh energy, than at least construct 3000-4000MW micro-hydel projects to give this cheap energy to Pakistan. If cannot than please have mercy on our poor selves of Pakistan.

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Tariq Amir

Oct 11, 2015 11:52am

PTI has failed to fulfil the promises in KP and also IK has failed to play the role of a mature and decent leader in the centre.

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Kamal Pasha

Oct 11, 2015 11:58am

Whoever object to the progress of the country should be charged as the enemy of the nation.

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Rao

Oct 11, 2015 12:32pm

Neither Nawaz Sharif nor Shahbaz Sharif ever stated anything about Kalabagh dam. It is pretty sad that PTI is transforming into a new ANP.

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anjum ali

Oct 11, 2015 12:56pm

The present KPK government of Pervez Khattak is probably the most corrupt and inefficient that we have seen in all our history; and he is that CM who went and left his province for 2-3 months, cavorting on containers in Islamabad. Isnt it a real hypocrisy to hear this statement coming from him now?

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abdullah

Oct 11, 2015 12:58pm

@Dilectus .and where do you see the improvement.can you please visit us in KPK and than see whats the change.only thing which changes are the dates of empty promises done by PTI.Please visit usin KPK.

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Rao

Oct 11, 2015 01:28pm

For the information of Mr Khattak Dams are a federal property and Federal government is not buying anything from KP. The dams are producing the electricity at this rate and federal government is simply adding it into its system. KP holds no ownership over these dams. Kindly stop misguiding the public.

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Arslan

Oct 11, 2015 02:19pm

@Lucky Star you are confusing Government with Business. However this is how PMLN operate, as a business. PMLN is spreading a lot of disinformation about progress in KPK. This is due to genuine fear in PMLN ranks.

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Abdul Ghafoor

Oct 11, 2015 02:32pm

@Tariq Amir yes, Dear Imran Is faild but Zardari and PML-N is Passed, thats the reason Pakistan is Pass and has become a successful state of world. you are Right sir. Imran is Blessing to Pakistan, you could not find him like Person after him. if your self centerness does not think broader it becuase of PML N and PPP leadership, they donot let nation to get bettr education and increase level of thinking.

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asif

Oct 11, 2015 02:55pm

Khattak sahib agreed on your single point for constituting "Commision" for the purpose of Kalaagh Project. Yes. Decide to have it, do it withoit delay, not to have, burry it. There is one studywith WAPDA to construct only "Power House" on the run of river instead of storing water in the reaervoir. Otherwise 2nd option should be opted. In both cases dont waste the time of the nation by blamming each other. The nation is fed up, please recollect "Action speaks louder than Words". The same message is for P.M sahib as well. But good to see the performance of C.M Punjab

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fida

Oct 11, 2015 02:55pm

Mr. Khattak claims that the Centre was selling electricity at a rate of Rs12 per unit after buying it at Rs4 from the province. Well SIR this is called capitalism, if you fail to ask for more than Rs.4 than it is your ignorance of the market condition, you can not blame the federal government for that. Best for you is to resign because you failed to protect the interest of province you govern.

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Muhammad Khan

Oct 11, 2015 03:02pm

@Atif: Please correct your record that ANP is not representing KPK as whole rather it is present in few Tehsils of Charsadda, Mradan, Swabi and Peshawar District. Secondly both PTI and PML-N are national parties; therefore we expect them to think patriotically on national issue like Kala Bagh Dam. I am a Pashtun and I strongly favor Kala Bagh Dam so that we are in a position to prevent flooding, storage of Monsoon's rain water to be used for irrigation and producing cheap hydel electricity. Since Parvez Khattak belongs to a national Party (though he has been in different other parties in the past, too), so we expect him to speak in the vast national interests; hence he must favor Kala Bagh Dam.

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A Z I

Oct 11, 2015 03:39pm

Mr. Khattak, CM, KP's statement, regarding Kalabagh Dam, is very constructive and positive. Whereas previous governments of this province vehementally opposed the dam Mr. Khattak has offered a much better option. Set up a commission and get the ok from other provinces. What, in my opinion now required, is Central Govt approach Baluchistan Govt where PMLN is party to government and get ok from that assembly. Subsequently approach Sind government and request them to agree to the establishment of a commission purely comprising of honest and respectable technocrates, which should come up with a comprehensive report on the merits / demerits of this dam. If progress is made on this project, this will be fortune changer, like CPEC, for Pakistan.

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abdullah

Oct 11, 2015 04:18pm

@Khuram Nisar .can you please explain what good work he has done in KPK .i am shocked to know that as we cant see any whole residing here.

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abdullah

Oct 11, 2015 04:23pm

@A Z I .eveeything in this country is a fortune changer but nothing changes as people are not educated.get education to change your life our nothing will happen from the gov and .

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A common pakistani

Oct 11, 2015 04:28pm

Toothpick politics, kindly all politicians stop playing with Pakistan, you all are insincere

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Aleem Ali

Oct 11, 2015 04:47pm

@Atif Sir you must be high. PMLn is a national party with elected members in all four provinces. Last I checked PTI has no MNA or MPA from Balochistan. So PMLn is more national than PTI. Please don't lie like your liar kaptaan

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Pakistani

Oct 11, 2015 06:32pm

Kalabagh Dam is the most important project for country's survival. With government in KPK. PTI has responsibility to start this project. All sane Pakistanis, irrespective of party polarization, need to push KPK to build this project.

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A Z I

Oct 11, 2015 06:46pm

@abdullah - I totally agree with you reg education. However, we, with whatever education, should raise our voice and appreciate if some one has a positive approach and suggests something good and object when it is otherwise. I believe that is our role and responsibility.

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M.Saeed

Oct 11, 2015 07:00pm

Kalabagh Dam possesses the only means of arresting and diverting entire mega flood waters to an already designed dam waiting for the fate of Kalabagh dam. It is downstream of Kalabagh with a storage capacity of 22 MAF. When constructed, it has a unique ability to make the entire Sindh and vast areas of Baluchistan agricultural paradise for almost all times to come. We all need to be realistic and should think about the future of our generations. It is unfortunate that Punjab Government is silent on this issue because it would benefit more to Sindh and Baluchistan.

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M.Saeed

Oct 11, 2015 07:07pm

The CM KPK is acting more of parochial than Pakistani. He should have first consulted Shamsul Mulk seriously, about the benefits to KPK of Kalabagh Dam before even having any unfounded reservations. Being an elected leader with huge responsibilitis of future if Imran must lead the nation tomorrow, he must talk for the overall welfare of the nation.

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Zubair

Oct 11, 2015 08:10pm

Our country have resources, needs political will to utilize them for public welfare honestly.

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Syed Ganga Din

Oct 11, 2015 09:34pm

Instead of accusing others,do something that'll make you proud of your achievement. When you start accusing others it simply shows your lack of knowledge and you expose your inner insecurity. That in itself disqualifies you for any political post. I'm waiting for the day when you and your leader will recognize your incompetence and decide to go home gracefully. Then I will have some respect for you.

Recommend 0

asad LATEEF

Oct 11, 2015 09:51pm

@Dr. Abdul Rahman - New York .doctor,what is oil barrel price in international oil market and what you are getting as per gallon price you are getting in new york state.Ask US govt,why there are taxes included along with cost.same formula is applied for every thing all over the world economies.

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M.Saeed

Oct 11, 2015 10:43pm

Every party is looking for tax-payers' money to plunder and presently, the purse is with PML(N) ! So which side of your bread is buttered?

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aslam shaikh

Oct 11, 2015 11:23pm

KPK is slightly North of Punjab, no wonder they have reservations that Punjab will drink all the water. I can never understand politicians, India can build Barrage drill underground tunnels but politician says nothing. But they will talk about war when it comes to building a dam in Pakistan. Seems like they purposely want Pakistan to plunge into darkness.

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Lucky Star

Oct 12, 2015 12:34am

@Dilectus Nobody is trying to fail KP government. KP government is failing just because their leaders cannot think beyond their province and are their leadership is wasting their energy to topple the central government. People have not learnt from history; Mogul government lost to East India company because the center became week due to provinces independence from the center. First center fell to East India company then the rest of the country.

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Akil Akhtar

Oct 12, 2015 06:19am

so KPK and Sind can use it but no Punjab...LOL

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Zohaib

Oct 12, 2015 05:19pm

it is ridiculous that despite opposition from 3 provinces, the noise about kalabagh damn is not dying because Punjab is adamant about building a dam that no one else wants. This is a great disservice to the nation to keep beating this dead horse which is dividing the nation, the govt should rather focus on building small dams in all provinces

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