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CJP lashes out at dam critics, says they are 'pursuing someone else's agenda'
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday, while hearing a case on the Dadhocha dam, lashed out at critics opposing the construction of dams in the country, saying that they were pursuing "someone else's agenda".
The CJP, recalling a scientist's remark that the Supreme Court should form its own political party, said: "There is no need for anyone to say this. It is a matter of fundamental rights."
Justice Nisar said that dams were being constructed for Pakistan's future generations.
He added that there would be "no compromise on this issue", whether those criticising the move were "well-known scientists or political leaders".
He claimed that those opposing the construction of dams are "working on someone else's agenda, and the agenda is that 'dams shouldn't be built in Pakistan'."
"We won't let the agenda to not build dams be successful." the CJP said. "We will build dams under all circumstances."
The CJP, who was heading a three-judge bench, made the remarks during a case pertaining to land earmarked for the construction of the Dadhocha dam.
In 2006, the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) had purchased 18,000 kanals at the site where the dam was to be built and launched a housing scheme as a joint venture with Bahria Town. The DHA Valley scheme, meant for the bereaved families of martyred military personnel, was proposed as the dam site.
On Aug 4, 2015, the SC in a suo motu case directed the Punjab government to construct the dam at the originally proposed site. Soon after these directives, the government banned the sale and purchase of land in the area and allocated funds for the construction of the dam in its annual development plan for 2017-18.
On the SC's directives, the Punjab government in 2017 initiated the process to construct the dam at a cost of Rs7 billion to overcome the water shortage in Rawalpindi.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had previously initiated investigations against DHA Islamabad, Bahria Town and Capital Development Authority administrations for the Rs62 billion DHA Valley project and its Phase-II (extension) scams.
In today's hearing, the court asked the Punjab government to examine the DHA-Bahria joint venture, and asked the JV to present its recommendations on the matter to the provincial government.
The SC also asked the Punjab government to examine the Irrigation Department's recommendations and, if it is not satisfied with them, to inform the court and present its own recommendations.
The Punjab government was asked to inform the court of when the dam would be completed by and how much expense would be incurred during its construction.
The Punjab Irrigation Department secretary told the court that the provincial government had allocated funds for the acquisition of land for the dam. He added that the Bahria Town-DHA JV was proposed on an 11-kanal site.
The Chief Justice asked what obstacles the Punjab government was facing in the construction of the dam by Bahria Town, and added: "I know that commission mafia's, commission will be cut and this is the obstacle."
"I won't let anyone take any cuts, nor will I let them appropriate commission," he asserted.
The top judge said that the commission mafia should fear God, and that the dam project was under strain because of this commission mafia. He asked them, without naming them, to think about themselves, the country and the future of its citizens.
The CJP suggested the secretary call the Punjab chief minister and his cabinet regarding the issue, to which the secretary responded that there was no need for it since he was looking over it.
The CJP responded that the construction of dam is a national cause and they would need to "come together for it".
Justice Nisar told the secretary that he should be giving money instead of taking money, to which the secretary responded that he had already contributed money to the Dam Fund.
The hearing was postponed till next week.
Pindi water shortage and the Dadhocha dam
According to official figures, Rawalpindi requires 50 MGD of water. It is supplied 40 MGD from the 410 tubewells in the city, Rawal Dam and Khanpur Dam.
A senior Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) official earlier told Dawn that the water deficit would increase from 10MGD to 41MGD by 2025 if our options were not explored, since the Rawal dam has outlived its design life and cannot supply more than 22MGD water ─ which remains unavailable during droughts.
The official had said that rainwater is wasted due to a lack of dams and was of the opinion that work should be started on the Chirah dam as well so that water is available in the future when the demand increases.
Read more: Punjab Planning Commission approves Rs6bn Daducha Dam
The proposed Dadhocha dam will be constructed upstream on Soan River and all the rainwater from Murree and the Kahuta Hills will gather in the lake at Dadhocha Village, near Sihala on Kahuta Road.
The dam may also raise the underground water table, which has been depleting fast in the garrison city.
A senior district administration official told Dawn earlier this year that the villages of Bhun, Launa and Bhaoni would be submerged in the dam, and that seven industrial and commercial units, 218 houses and other areas would be affected by the project.
Comments (55) Closed
Please solve DHA Valley issues. A lot of Pakistanis invested because of DHAs name but we have lost it all.
We need help
Dams are vital for water and hydropower generation and we have the 'natural' landscape for construction in the northern areas of Pakistan.
CJP should focus on judicial reforms and try to ensure common men get justice on time. Please, let the govt. build dams.
PLM-N as per usual doing Indian bidding. They could not achive what CJ & IK have done in last month alone.
Dams are needed because water is needed
CJP saying this? Seriously.....
Construction of dam is a national cause and don't make cause for our own destruction but let it go without interruption , keep argument behind and don't let our county Dam projects set with the last ray of sun,
I am not opposed to his stand on necessity of dams in Pakistan but CJP is indeed stepping off his limit. He is setting a very bad precedence just to project himself as a messiah which he cant be as he isn't going to be CJP for ever and the moment he steps down, no one is going to count him.
Its a matter of federation's unity. First of all provinces discuss and reach on conclusion then finally go for built of any dam.
Time has come to hand over the development of infrastructure to technocrats and politicians be stopped from discussing it in public. Otherwise we will never move forward.
Our rivers flow from the roof of the world and are capable of producing enormous amount of electricity every 20 kms distance along their flow routes in cascades of power stations. It only requires solid will and resolve of the Government to do so. Malakand and Dargai power stations are the examples given to us by our Colonial Masters.
@pakistan deserves better Yeh, its been quite a Drama from national to international level. Started off with PM's residence, gone to helicopter ride and rebuttals from Indian, US foreign offices. What else, this nation deserve!!!
Unfortunately, dams building or projects like this can not be as difficult as to convince people of Pakistan and particularly the polticians like big fish who make money from here but never think or work for the welfare of the country.
Ignore the critics. Need to complete multiple dams in earnest! Get them done.
So where is all the Dam money collected so far?
I live in North America and i have sent money for the dame, and soon i will send more more dollars, inshallah. I totally agree with the CJP and PM of Pakistan. Long live both, and long live Pakistan.
Mr Scientist, you are against the Dam project. What have you done for people without being selfish? The CJP should be commended for doing what others responsible would do nothing. Join hands with him for the sake of people.
@Irfan Ali seriously ? Did you see any progress from last tow Govt regarding this.
@M.Saeed "It only requires solid will and resolve of the Government to do so. " Apparently, this is what is lacking.
From what PM Imran Khan stated just two days ago, the government has land worth billions, then why are we talking about purchasing land, why not use the land already owned by the government, and the funds planned to be used to purchase the land, can be put towards building the dam.
Please focus on 1.8 million pending cases in courts!
@Mohsin Rafique "First of all provinces discuss and reach on conclusion then finally go for built of any dam." There is something that the federal government has in its hands, that can bring all provinces to come to consensus. That is income tax. Apply it and see.
Kindly instruct Gov. Only local construction company build the dam as we have best engineers and best equipment in world to build this kind of projects mo more foreign experts it will save foreign exchange and our local industry wil flurish
If we built all the natural dams as we are blessed with the location. The inflation of this country will go down significantly, as the country will be spending less money on fosil fuel imports and the will be a net exporter of farm products. However at the same time, every house should be charged for the water as well as sewage. Why we are willing to pay for water if we live abroad and not in Pakistan?
Nobody else was bothered to build a dam before this. the previous government was more focused on projects which the public could see rather than a necessity the public needed. You should see the areas in Punjab that have water shortages, people desperately need the dam.
@Irfan Ali All Governments failed.
@Zulfi. Perhaps you are right in a way... but please be realistic and see if the CJP had not taken this stand who else would, or has/had?!?! Someone had to make this (un)popular decision for the good of Pakistan and her future generations. He seems to foresee the enormous, and possibly horrible, catastrophe that the water/energy crisis would cause to this country and its people. So, let's support a good cause even if the initiator is "out of bounds."
Sir, let each institutions do their own tasks properly. Judiciary adjucate the millions of cases lying pending in different courts. Let Wapda, and other governmental agencies take care about dam, water resorvior etc.
@Irfan Ali Two Governments had a lot of time to come up with plans for the upcoming water crisis(they were even warned by Officials with knowledge of this fact), but they did nothing. So you'd rather people suffer water shortages than someone try to fix the issue?
@Life that’s fine. CJ is Pakistani too!
Great judgement! We need to look after the urgent needs of the people of Rawalpindi and the needs of the future generation.
We c an sacrifice our lives for our nation. But kindly tighten the rope around those guys who have looted the wealth of Pakistan. Bring them back ASAP and build as many dams as we need.
@Irfan Ali ! Government will build ? When and which government. Hello
@pakistan deserves better What have they achieved so far ????
@Umair During General Musharraf's tenure, several Dams were built.
Thank you CJP for our initiative...keep it up we are with you.
Conspiracy theories,aren't we fed up
We must ENCOURAGE and MUST not DISCOURAGE. It is not time for us to be bickering about but be more productive and practical. Thanks
And Sindh will be most affected with a DAM and without a DAM
@Aman I live in North America and i have sent money for the dame, and soon i will send more more dollars, inshallah. I totally agree with the CJP and PM of Pakistan. Long live both, and long live Pakistan.
Great to kinow you have sent some money as per your above comment. But please specify, my dear, for which "dame" did you send the money? I hope she has received it.
I totally agree with CJ comments this time. There are the same comments we heard Incase of Kalabag which went no where and we lost several precius lives and water During floods.
@AA I am sure you are aware of the cost of building dams. Considering that, realistically speaking, do you really think he can pave the path to build dam? It is a political matter that only they can resolve. What if the fund supervised by CJP isn't sufficient to build dam. What would CJP do? Go to IMF and World Bank himself for loan?
Who is someone else?
There will always be critics opposing dams because they may be adversely affected by the dam or have nothing to gain by it being built. But clearly the greater good of the country has to be forefront of any decision.
Pakistan should do what is best for it but building a dam (and its pros and cons) is a highly technical matter. Why should a CJP take any position on either side of it?
Dams alone can't solve Pakistan's water crises. Dams on the hilly areas may provide water for electricity generation provided there is sufficient snow and rainfall, which unfortunately is continuously decreasing due to climate change. The real problem is the scarcity of availability of water for agricultural and domestic use. Due to industrialization and explosive population growth the consumption of water is continuously increasing, which is the reason both the underground and the surface water reserves are running out very fast. In short, build dams and control population. And I am 100% sure that no Pakistani will agree on controlling population part.
Paks and CJP and PM IK should focus on the Kalabagh Dam. Without it all else is academic.
Kudos to CJP for his hard work on dam projects. DHA valley issue should be resolved quickly. Request CJP to look into the case of State Life housing case in Lahore, which is a big scandal as well. We have been waiting for plots for more almost a decade but authorities are pushing to take 10 marla plots against one kanal files, premium of those files have been cleared long time ago. Thanks!
I have no doubt that the people of Pakistan need water and dams must be built. What perplexes me is the judiciary taking it upon itself to raise funds. Does no one trust an elected government there?
@pakistan deserves better you do know the dams installed in PML n's era are part of the main backbone of energy and water in Pakistan right now? Ignorance.
Dam building not his job...Elected people should sort this out ! Where is PM ?
@Irfan Ali hundred percent right
@Rana 100 % agree with you
Why was Dam building not part of CPEC ?
Thinking ??
The issue of dams should be considered and addressed through political process.
The cj should should not interfere in this as the judiciary should be independent of the political process, to ensure fairness and transparency in the legal process. He should focus on judicial reform, which is urgently needed.