LAHORE: The West Pakistan Governor, Mr Mohammad Musa, said today [Nov 22] that the Mangla Dam signified a great development effort — “an effort which is bound to have its impact even on the generations to come”.

Characterising the Dam as “a monumental enterprise”, in his message on the occasion of the dedication ceremony to be held tomorrow, Mr Musa commended the West Pakistan WAPDA.

He said that as a major link in the Replacement works, the completion of the Dam is “a sizeable achievement in pursuit of the objectives of the Indus Basin Settlement Plan”.

The Central Minister for Industries and Natural Resources, Mr Altaf Husain, while congratulating WAPDA on the completion of the Indus Basin projects, has expressed the hope that the skill and experience gained from these projects would be fully utilised in meeting the challenging task of completing other projects and in several other major development programmes.The Provincial Minister for Irrigation and Power, Makhdoom Hamiduddin, has complimented the WAPDA for completing the gigantic works of Indus Basin project well ahead of schedule.

In his message, he said that these spectacular achievements were a tribute to the efficiency and spirit of team-work. The Minister, while praying for the long life of President Ayub Khan, paid him rich tributes, for he said it was his (President’s) foresight and practical approach which led to peaceful solution of Indus water dispute. — Agencies

[Meanwhile, as reported by an agency in Chandigarh, India,] Master Tara Singh, veteran Sikh leader who was one of India’s most controversial political figures, died here today [Nov 22] aged 82. He apparently had a heart attack.

Tara Singh, a Hindu-born school master, was imprisoned many times during British rule in India and again after India became independent.

He frequently fasted to force his political demands and was publicly humiliated in 1961 when he broke a “fast unto death” in support of a Punjabi-speaking state for reasons which his colleagues considered unsatisfactory.

Master Tara Singh was born in the Rawalpindi district in 1885, in a Brahmin family. Later on he was converted to Sikhism.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2017