LAHORE: Pakistan’s economic growth lies in generating electricity through water as it is one of the cheapest sources, said speakers at a seminar organised by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Friday.

For that to happen, the Kalabagh dam should also be constructed to overcome issues like shortage of electricity and water, and devastation caused by floods, they said while speaking at the event titled ‘Securing Pakistan’s Future through Kalabagh dam’.

The speakers — including LCCI President Abdul Basit, former Water and Power Development Authority chairmen Tariq Hameed and Zafar Mahmood, and analyst Najam Sethi, among others — said the government would have to reach a consensus to build water reservoirs as soon as possible.

Speakers say generating power through thermal sources not in country’s favour

They believed that generating power through thermal sources would not be in favour of trade, industry and economy. Even if the country started producing 50,000 megawatts through furnace oil, it would not be affordable for businessmen and they would be left with no other option but to close down their industrial units.

The Kalabagh dam was the most suitable project for the national economy as it would not only produce cheap and sufficient electricity, but would also avert human tragedies, they added.

Unlike Pakistan, India was constructing dams at every possible site, they cautioned. This has left Pakistan decades behind and the future didn’t look promising either, they said. The existing dams are silting up, which means that the country’s capacity to store water is waning. Therefore, building Kalabagh and other new dams was “desperately needed”.

Published in Dawn December 24th, 2016