I WOULD like to point out some shortcomings in the procedure for contributing money to the Diamer Bhasha dam fund.

First, the forms are in English and the vast majority of our population is unable to fill them out on its own. Then, there’s the lengthy set of questions, including particulars such as name, residential address, CNIC number, etc, as well as signatures at different places under the guise of State Bank instructions. Then, there are the long queues for routine banking in commercial establishments.

I fail to understand this lengthy procedure. The scheme is a government-approved and -owned fund. The banking staff should simply verify the CNIC numbers, and if found clear accept the money and issue a receipt. Verification of the CNIC provides all details such as address, etc. The banks should even welcome contributions of money earned from questionable means; after all, the money is not being deposited in some anti-state fund.

Further, there should be a separate bank counter for the Diamer Bhasha dam fund.

Wing Commander (retd) Khalid Ismail
Islamabad

(2)

I WRITE with reference to the Sindh chief minister’s reservation on the Diamer Bhasha dam, that if 25MAF water is not released into Kotri downstream, sea intrusion will increase, affecting the lives of thousands of people who live on the coast.

I was pleased when Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar announced the dam fund. Now I request that he discuss this critical issue with Wapda officials, and take the Sindh government into confidence as soon as possible.

Aitzaz Hussain
Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2018