CHAKWAL: After a span of 14 years, the co-chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party and former president of the country, Asif Ali Zardari is arriving in Talagang on Sunday (today) in a bid to boost the electioneering of his party’s candidates in Talagang and Chakwal.

The announcement of Zardari’s visit came as a surprise for political observers here as PPP is not in a position to give a tough time to its rival parties, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

Sources in the PPP told Dawn that Mr Zardari was convinced to attend a rally in Talagang at the behest of party’s candidate from NA-59 Malik Hassan Sardar, a young man of 30 who emerged suddenly a few weeks ago and managed to get a ticket which the party had earlier awarded to Qazi Mohammad Altaf.

Malik Hassan Sardar, a young entrepreneur who has businesses in the United Kingdom and United States, has close links to PPP stalwart Syed Khurshid Shah’s family as the latter’s son is also his business partner.

Mr Zardari would address a public rally on the ground of Government High School Talagang at 3pm. His visit would not only boost the image of the PPP in the area but also give a boost to the political role of young Malik Hassan Sardar.

It would be Zardari’s second visit to the area in the last 14 years as he had addressed a public rally on January 21, 2010 after laying the foundation of Ghabir Dam.

Ironically 14 years have passed but the mega project, which was supposed to be completed by 2014, still remains in doldrums.

According to the documents available with Dawn, thedamwas to be built at a hefty cost of Rs7.35 billion, the highest amount ever fixed for any smalldamin Punjab. But as the work could not be started properly, its cost was revised after a few years to Rs9.154 billion. Now the stalled project seeks Rs20 billion for its completion as the delayed work continues to increase its cost.

The proposed dam which was to be built at Ghabir River near Danda Shah Bilawal village was supposed to store 66,200 million acres feet of water. Under the proposed project more than 15,000 acres of land was supposed to be irrigated. The farmers of Talagang and neighbouring district Mianwali thought that this dam would bring a change in the agriculture sector which totally depends on rainwater. But unfortunately this mega project remains stalled even after 14 years.

The farmers, while talking to Dawn, have expressed their hope that Asif Ali Zardari would promise to complete this project if his party formed the next federal government.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2024