LARKANA: Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto today [Oct 30] … hinted at the likelihood of disbandment of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) as he bitterly condemned it for its failure to effectively deal with the twin menace of waterlogging and salinity. Addressing open “kutcheries” at Dokri and Badah … the Prime Minister described WAPDA as “a white elephant housed in a big palace like the WAPDA House, but doing nothing”. Mr Bhutto said this was his last warning to WAPDA which must fully devote to the eradication of the twin menace with the result that the rich agricultural lands were turning into big lakes. …

He wondered that while the Government expenditure to [counter] waterlogging and salinity increased every year during the last 26 years, the menace too grew faster. The Prime Minister emphasised that Pakistan’s economy being agricultural was entirely dependent on its lands. “For us, our lands are our oil,” he said, and added that if waterlogging and salinity rendered these lands incapable of producing any crops, this would spell death to our economy. Referring to the magnitude of the devastation caused by waterlogging and salinity, Mr Bhutto said … the entire country was badly hit by the menace.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2023