(1) The current foreign loans on Pakistan reach upto $58 billion dollars and the factual position is that Pakistan even cannot pay its instalments properly on time. However, for the construction of Controversial KBD project in Punjab the government has to take the loan of atleast $10 billion dollars. This will push up loans against Pakistan to $68 billion dollars.

The Kalabagh dam is not a financial project that will earn and enable the amount borrowed to be immediately returned.

(2) A large number of people would be displaced. We have the example of the Tarbela dam where all the displaced people could not be settled even after 37 years. The Kalabagh dam will render, according to Wapda, more than 120,000 people homeless.

(3) Because of seepage and evaporation about 40 per cent of water will become useless. In case of collapse of dam, it will bring unprecedented ruination. There are examples of such devastation before us. Therefore, construction of small dams should be encouraged.

(4) The Kalabagh site is in the salt range and also in the earthquake zone. In a seminar held at PIIA, Karachi, the former director-general of the Geological Survey of Pakistan, Mr Hamza Ali Kazmi, disclosed that the site of the controversial Kalabagh dam was in the earthquake zone. Further, The Wapda consultants in volume-3 (Geological Facts) of their 1983 report had identified ‘Kalabagh fault and salt diaprism’, raising risks about the construction of the Kalabagh dam.”

It is fact that today in world majority of countries refusing to make large dams due to its disadvantages. The world over expert opinion has gone increasingly against big dams. They are found to have progressively lost their utility, interfered with ecology, and uprooted populations from traditional settlements. Experts feel small dams could do a better job.

The former IRSA chairman Engineer Fatehullah Gandapur, himself had rightly said: “The design of the Kalabagh dam is not of the nature where floodwater can be stored.” Therefore KBD would have not deposited water in abundance.

One should know that national unity is more important than the Kalabagh dam. Previously we made a blunder by ignoring the wishes of East Pakistan and lost the province. We can’t afford to repeat the blunder.

Moreover, such example to make dam only for interest of one province has never seen before in the history of world. The court should avoid taking the decision that is based on the discrimination and in the interest of one province only. No doubt, such decision is dangerous for the unity of federation.

I appeal the Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan to take Suo Moto action on this understanding the grievances the people of three minor provinces in the form of pass resolutions and in the larger interest of the saving federation.

In view of the ground realities and understanding the hazards of big dams the government should focus on building of small dams that are less costly and also more beneficial. Further, all provinces are agree constructions of small dams.

Without consensus, all should go without, and suffer with power blackouts till they come to consensus. Lack of consensus will only cause more problems in Pakistan.