PAKISTAN has been facing for quite some time loadshedding and water crisis, both of which are assuming grave proportions with the passage of time.

Both these issues are inter-related to power generation and huge water storage facilities and are being somehow ignored.

The solution to both these chronic problems, in all fairness, lies in the construction of the multi-purpose Kalabagh dam which has become most ill-fated, criticised, politicalised and condemned project though it is of great national importance and has become a necessity over the decades.

The Kalabagh dam should have been constructed immediately after the Tarbela dam, if not earlier than that, but it is yet to see the light of day despite being much investigated, probed and researched and found technically feasible by a number of national and international experts over the years.

You can go on and on writing in its favour, provided there is someone at the top to listen and order for its immediate construction in the larger national interest at the earliest possible.

Over the decades, people have been pinning hopes on every civilian and military ruler for giving the go-ahead.

There have been only half-hearted attempts every now and then but all in vain,  as none of these even reached a near-finalisation stage.

President Asif Ali Zardari has been making efforts all these years to take opposition leaders and parties onboard for strengthening the democratic process and institutions.

For that he is in a strong position to take up construction of the Kalabagh dam with his allies and opposition parties, and it is sincerely hoped that he would emerge victorious in his efforts.

The site for construction of a huge water storage and power-generation facility may be at Kalabagh or around it.

But the nation and the country badly and urgently need facilities for huge power generation and water storage.

MOHSIN ABDUL HAQ SHAIKH Lahore